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.

Great setting, good characters, ok thriller. throw it in your beach bag along with the sunscreen.
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Sunburned is a well-written, well-paced novel that kept this reviewer engaged until the final page. The characters are an intriguing assortment of personality types we might meet anywhere that seem harmless on the surface but soon reveal their deeper selves. The sweeping island landscape creates a beautiful mental visual.

Audrey, the protagonist, uncovers the ulterior motives behind each guests' invitation to St Barth by their eccentric host, Tyson. Old resentments among Tyson and his guests simmer to the surface, raising the stakes and the tension. A bit of romance between Audrey and one of Tyson's staff makes us question her judgment and his trustworthiness. The result is a thriller that's filled with surprising twists and turns and offers a satisfying ending. I really liked this book. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

This glamorous, twisty thriller set in St. Barts was my favorite Katherine Wood/Katherine St. John novel yet! Perfect if you want an escapist, rich-people-behaving-badly, not-scary thriller this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was such a great and fast read! It was full of mystery and suspense. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves novels full of suspense, murder, secrets, and twists!!

The author did a great job in the development of this story. I enjoyed it a lot!

The ending was predictable for me, which is why I give it 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars, but overall, a great read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sunburned is a sun-soaked thriller taking place over the course of one tension filled week on the wealthy island getaway of St. Barth's. When Audrey gets a call from her estranged ex-boyfriend, Tyson, requesting she travels to his swanky compound in the Caribbean to discover who is black mailing him and his multi-billion dollar company, she doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. Over ten years ago, Audrey and Tyson were inextricably tied together one fateful night by a dirty secret and now he's threatening to bring everything she has worked for crashing down.

I struggle to find thrillers to catch and keep my interest, usually finding them lacking in character development or a bit too predictable, but Sunburned was enjoyable and easy to devour from start to finish. The book shifts back and forth between the moments leading up to the events that drove a wedge between Audrey and Tyson in the past and Audrey's investigation into Tyson's inner circle as he has become increasingly paranoid that someone is trying to ruin him. The beachy setting of St. Barth's makes this a perfect book to take along to the pool or beach this summer; I could almost feel the warm sun and smell the salty sea air as I was reading. For a story that only takes place over the course of a week, Katherine Wood has expertly paced Audrey's investigation as it unravels and she finds herself struggling to break into the confidences of the people close to Tyson. I got swept away in the week of glitz and grandeur right with Audrey as the story moves along without leaving much room for second-guessing.

As I was reading I found myself constantly in flux, questioning who Audrey could trust and suspecting everyone at one point or another. There were only a few twists I sort of saw coming and everything else was a genuine surprise. The cast of characters was flawed, complicated, and somehow charming all at once. Wood's character work had me wary of everyone in the beginning, but she has a way of subtly revealing the true, nuanced nature of people and challenging first impressions. It's poetic the way Audrey's story comes full circle as she is thrown together with a group of people with pasts equally as colorful and troubled as her own.

I have mixed feelings about Sunburned. It was an easy and quick read, but I KNEW the answers to pretty much everything from very, very early on. It was somewhat fun to be proven correct, but at the same time, I really prefer a murder/mystery that keeps me guessing, and I never wavered from my original prediction. I would consider this to be more of a 3.5 stars, but I did round it up to 4.

This is a fantastic "who done it" story. I sat reading, unable to put the book down, until it was completed. There are so many stories within the story, that makes this book so fascinating. Katherine has a way of blending the present with the the past, of 10 years ago, that it flows seamlessly. Sunburned needs to be on your summer reading list.

Katherine Wood is the queen of summer destination, rich people behaving badly, thrillers and I was so here for Sunburned!

I really enjoyed this - the characters were so flawed, but I was so invested. My only gripes were that the first 60% felt so slow then the last 40% were amazing and action packed - I wish it was more balanced. Secondly, there were SO many characters I did get confused at times, however this was SO enjoyable and I am a sucker for Woods writing style!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for allowing me to read this book early.This one was hard to put down and kept me guessing until the very end.

This book is a scrumptious, twisty thriller about murder, family, betrayal, secrets- everything including the kitchen sink. If you’re a fan of destination thrillers and soapy twists- this the perfect summer read for you. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

If you are looking for a good mystery/thriller to read on summer vacation this is the book for you. Sunburned pulls you right in front the beginning and doesn't stop until the very last page. I love a good destination thriller and this packs it all in. So many twists and turns that you never really knew what was happening and in a good way. I love a book that I cannot guess every move. I will be reading this again on a beach in the near future. Thanks NetGalley.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


Katherine Wood does it again with her second book Sunburned. I enjoyed Ladykiller so much and this next book was just as good as the first. Audrey Collete has been invited to St. Barth’s by her ex boyfriend Tyson for his birthday to figure out who in his inner circle is blackmailing him. Tyson also happens to be the father of Audrey’s twin sons Benjamin and Alexander. Audrey had originally rejected his invite until she finds out that a man’s foot was found with a Air Jordan shoe and the man was named Ian and Audrey helped cover up the murder with Tyson and his older brother Cole. After a decade of not seeing each other Tyson has become more paranoid than ever and loves to drink green juice and upsetting those around him. Laurent is a French butler that Tyson has to help Audrey. Audrey decides to try and get to know the other people on the boat until the day of Tyson’s birthday where during a diving trip he ends up murdered. The police arrive and Audrey is pushed off the boat while snooping on people. Tyson’s death is announced and he finally acknowledges Ben and Alex as his children and have given both of them money and equal rights to his properties with his other children. The blackmailer turns out to be the girlfriend of Ian the man that Tyson and Cole killed because he was blackmailing them after discovering that Audrey was stealing funds from the company that Cole worked at to pay for her mothers experimental treatments which worked only for one treatment and not the second one. Cole was the one who killed Tyson during the dive because he was the one who sent a video that caused Cole to go to jail because he texted Audrey that Tyson was with another woman which caused them to break up for good. Cole no longer wants anything to do with Jennifer/Andi Ian’s ex girlfriend who faxed her death in order to get revenge for Ian and the son that never knew his father. Audrey gets money from Tyson and begins a relationship with Laurent and decides to get more help with her business to spend more time with her sons. This book was so good.

Sunburned was a scandalous read! I was immediately intrigued by the luxurious island setting and distinct premise. This was my first read by Katherine Wood. It was a slow burn thriller with the most unpleasant and deceitful characters, but their vile and appalling personalities fit this narrative perfectly.

Sunburned was about betrayal, secrets, and the complexities of relationships. The story centered around Audrey Collet, who was drawn back into the life of her ex-boyfriend, Tyson, when he was blackmailed and faced a threat of exposure. Audrey wanted nothing more than to refuse his invitation. She reluctantly traveled to St Barths to help him figure out who in his entourage was extorting him which led her to confront her past and the secrets she and Tyson, along with others, had been holding onto.

I always enjoy a solid locked room mystery and this was certainly one with a twist. I loved how Wood fabricated the most luxurious private island setting. A yacht in the South of France was an enticing backdrop for this unique narrative. I was instantly drawn to the lavish lifestyle captured from the very first page. The intricate descriptions set the tone and I felt as if I was there with the characters living their lifestyle and navigating the mystery along with them.

In addition to the compelling plot and beautiful island setting, all of the characters were well drawn out. Even the least likable characters were interesting. Audrey, the main protagonist, was vulnerable and caring, yet a strong and driven woman. She was determined to help her ex find the person blackmailing him. While doing this, Audrey confronted the repercussions of her own choices and ended up discovering a deeper understanding of her own values and motivations.

Along with the established plot and characters, Wood did a good job at exploring a variety of themes. This story took a close look at the betrayal and secrets of the characters both in the past and present day. More specifically, these themes examined the consequences of betraying trust and the lengths people go to keep secrets. This story also focused on the complexities of relationships and the complicated web of connections between people. Some of the characters revealed hidden truths about their pasts and highlighted the power of secrets and the potential for them to unravel theirs and others lives which led to devastating consequences.

Despite all the positive aspects there were a few aspects that didn’t work well. First, there was a lot of dialogue. A bit too much for my taste, and with that, there were a few too many technology references in the first quarter of the book. Second, there were some coincidences that had me questioning its credibility, and lastly, there was a lot of repetition of the narrator expressing their emotions and concerns. Sometimes less is more, and in this instance, this could have been tidied up.

All in all, Sunburned was a scandalous locked room mystery thriller. If you like stories about wealth, betrayal, secrets, and complex relationships, you will most likely be entertained by this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me an ARC of this book (ebook version).

Wow! This book is full of twisty thrills and had me guessing the whole way through. It's a fun ride set in a beautiful, exclusive world.

Audrey Collet hasn't seen her ex, Tyson Dale, in a decade. In that time, he's become an eccentric tech billionaire and she's been a single mom raising twin boys and working for attorneys doing pre-trial discovery work, including computer hacking.

When Tyson hires Audrey and flies her down to St Barth's for a mysterious job, under threat of exposing old secrets, she arrives to find he's a paranoid, cruel shell of his former self. He accuses her of blackmailing him and then demands she find out who is. With everyone in the house a suspect, Audrey is under immense pressure to figure it out.

During a diving excursion off of Tyson's mega-yacht, someone doesn't make it back to the yacht alive. Audrey must race against the clock before she is arrested for something she had no part in.

With interspersed flashbacks to Audrey and Tyson's relationship 10 years prior, Sunburned weaves an intricate web of lies, deceit, and shady characters in this decade and the previous one.

I absolutely loved this book! From the very first chapter, I felt pulled into Audrey’s tense and dangerous predicament, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I appreciated the way the mystery unfolded—layer by layer, each twist catching me off guard and making me question every character’s motives. I found myself completely invested in Audrey’s journey. I felt her frustration, her fear, and the pressure of navigating Tyson’s lavish yet treacherous world. I loved the high-stakes setting—the Caribbean island, the isolated yacht, the paranoia creeping in from every corner. Every revelation had me second-guessing who I could trust, and I enjoyed the way the tension never let up. By the time the deadly dive changed everything, I was hooked. I found myself racing toward the ending, eager to see how Audrey would piece the puzzle together. The mix of scandal, betrayal, and survival made this book an absolute thrill to read. I finished it feeling exhilarated, satisfied, and already eager to recommend it to others.

Interesting characters and good mystery. It kept me guessing kept me reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

A mystery with characters who were likeable and a good plot , although I found the twists to be a bit predictable, I did enjoy this book! Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you love scandalous beach read, Sunburned is the perfect summer thriller! Katherine Wood drops us into the luxe, sun soaked world of St. Barth’s, an island with a murder rate of zero…until now. Audrey Collet is reluctantly pulled into a high stakes game when her billionaire ex, Tyson, blackmails her into helping him solve his blackmail situation. Their messy past comes bubbling back fast, and when a literal foot washes ashore, the secrets they thought were buried start to resurface. This was such a twisty, locked room mystery full of tech bros, tropical islands, and dysfunctional rich people. Everyone on the yacht is suspicious, and the tension ratchets up with every chapter. I loved this book so much! It’s fast paced and full of delicious drama.