Overall, I liked this one. Although I did enjoy the story, it did take some twists and turns that didn’t really add much to the story. About halfway through it did seem to get a bit boring and I just wanted to find out the ending. I liked the unreliable narrator aspect. I enjoyed the different character points of view that made it harder to figure out what was going on since you didn’t know what to believe. The ending felt a bit unsettled for me though. A bit unfinished. I am glad I stuck with it though since overall I enjoyed it.

All that drama for an ending with no actual conclusion. The topic of SA can also be tricky to write about especially when there’s lying involved

"Ladykiller" by Katherine Wood is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Wood masterfully weaves together a story of suspense, betrayal, and deception, drawing readers into the dark and twisted mind of the protagonist. The character development is superb, with each individual feeling both relatable and utterly chilling. The plot twists are unexpected yet satisfying, leaving readers guessing until the final pages. Wood's writing style is engaging and immersive, making it difficult to put the book down. Overall, "Ladykiller" is a must-read for fans of the genre, delivering thrills and suspense in equal measure.

I unfortunately DNF this book around 25%. I can't give the most accurate review, I just know I was bored :(

And I love this author! I just don't think this was for me. I was quite uninterested in the characters and what was happening between the couple. I will still give her a chance.

There were so many elements I enjoyed about this book! A book within a book, friends to lovers, rich people getting into trouble in paradise, and unreliable female narrators. Even though it’s technically suspense, it really felt like there was a love story at the heart of this novel. It was a fun take on the genre and definitely had Gone Girl vibes. Entertaining, addictive, with sexual tension sprinkled throughout. The perfect beach read this summer!

I loved reading Gia’s manuscript as she logged her side of the story, the same way she’d done following a terrible tragedy when she saved her best friend, Abby, a decade prior. It was immersive and I enjoyed getting to know all the shady characters and their motives. Benny, her brother, was my favorite since he seemed to be the only sincere person in the book. It gripped me from beginning to end, trying to figure out the truth of what was going on, and I still don’t know. The old well on the property definitely created the most suspense for me overall.

My favorite character arcs were Benny and Abby, and their relationship. I was rooting for them the entire time. The ending left me hanging, not knowing exactly what happened, but it left it open for a possible sequel. The pace was steady until the end when it slowed, and Abby was settled into her new life.

4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy complicated relationships, unreliable protagonists, exotic locations, and suspense.

“Ladykiller” is a mystery thriller by Katherine Wood. This is a book told in two POV - Abby’s (present) and Gia’s (five months previously through a manuscript). The descriptions of Greece were vivid - ah, to be rich enough and carefree enough and young enough - which was a great virtual holiday. The friendship/relationship between the two females was interesting and held my attention. There were a number of people to not trust/believe in this book - is the new husband all that he seems (depending upon how you see him), is Gia as clueless as she seems (again, depends), are the new housemates all they seem (debatable), and what about the best friend? The pacing of this book was slow, building up a lot of the story, but once around the 50% mark things start progressing faster, then about 25% later, things really unfold quickly. The ending is a LOT ambiguous, but I was okay with that (odd, as usually I prefer closed endings). This was a quick-ish read and even with a cast of “not really likable or trustworthy characters,” it wasn’t that bad a ride. If you don’t like open-ended endings and a not final “who done it,” this may not be your cup of tea. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

Loved this book although I hated every single character! LOL! Gia and Abby are childhood friends, reconnecting after having had a brief spat. But when Gia doesn't show up at the resort they are supposed to be meeting at, Abby, along with Gia's brother Benny, go on the search for their friend/sister. Lots of action and suspense, this was hard to put down! Loved the setting too (I now really want to go to Greece!!).
This will be a really entertaining beach read.

This was a good read! It was twisty and suspenseful and kept me guessing, which I love in a thriller. Thank you for the ARC!

I enjoyed the structure of the chapters and the dual narration: Abby's chapters narrate the present, and Gia's chapters, written as her manuscript, fill in the gaps from the near past. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. Many of them read as shallow, naive, and whiny, which, although it may have been purposeful, made it hard to stay invested in the story. I also felt like the real mystery didn't begin until the last 30% of the book. Until that point, all of the revelations had been blatantly obvious, to the point of annoyance that the main character's hadn't realized it yet. I did enjoy the discussion of never truly having closure, and the doubt and second-guessing that occurred, along with the questioning of whether you really know someone. I just wish the entire book had been as good/interesting as the last 30% was. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance-heavy thriller in a Mediterranean setting.

Told from two different viewpoints and timelines, the story starts off a bit slow. Abby and Gia, longtime pals who've drifted apart due to some past tragedy, decide to patch things up by planning a trip to see the Northern Lights in Sweden for Gia's 30th. But when Gia doesn't show up for her own bash, Abby and Gia's brother, Benny, get worried and head back to where it all began in Greece to find her.

Apart from the unnecessary explicit stuff that doesn't really add to the story, this book is a thrilling read, especially when you're snuggled up on a cold winter weekend dreaming of sunny islands. Just a heads-up though, it leaves you with a bunch of unanswered questions - but hey, that's part of the psychological thriller charm, right? Just okay overall, I don't think I'd recommend it but I don't regret reading it.

I'll start by saying I wasn't expecting such a sensual, sexy story. lol
Nothing wrong with that, but I thought this book was, sometimes, too sexual. I wasn't in it for sex scenes or sex talk. I was in it for a mystery.
Sure, there is a mystery, a disappearence mystery.
But I'll be honest: this book is way too long for my taste and it has way too many sex stuff. I wanted a thriller, not an erotica book.
I didn't hate any of the characters, which is a good sign. But I didn't love or genuinely empathised with anyone.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a free eARC copy of this novel.

Well, this was a twisty, fun book. I love a narrator you can't fully trust, one who spins reality to suit their purpose, and that describes Gia to the letter. The ending was also special, as it wasn't something definitive, but rather more open to interpretation. I felt like there were times that Abby and Benny and everyone else took a backseat to Gia's enormous personality, but in a way that fit the book. Definitely will recommend this, as it's a near-perfect summer read.

As featured on www.mysteryandsuspense.com

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a sensual, evocative and exotic suspense novel where everyone has a story to tell- but not everyone’s story is true.
Gia and Abby have been best friends since childhood, and their bond only grew after tragedy struck Abby when the girls were eighteen. But since Gia married someone Abby did not approve of, and Abby boycotted Gia’s wedding, Gia and Abby have grown apart. So, Abby has some hesitation when she receives an invitation to Gia’s thirtieth birthday- just Abby, Gia and Gia’s brother, Benny, celebrating in a high-class Swedish chalet, but she decides to attend anyway, hoping to repair the relationship. However, when she and Benny arrive, Gia is nowhere to be found, and no one can reach her. With Gia missing, Abby begins to really fear for her former best friend; Abby knew Gia’s husband was bad news, but is he dangerous?
Ladykiller is narrated by both Gia and Abby, before and after Gia goes missing. Before, Gia’s story is told through snippets of her memoir and after, Abby takes over as narrator, for reasons that are deliciously twisted and unexpected. As a spoiled rich girl, Gia is not an easy character to like, and her motivations toward Abby have always been slightly cloudy. That being said, I was drawn into their tense dynamic, desperate to find out what happened to Gia and what role (if any) she played in her fate.
The majority of this novel takes place on a small island in Greece, so expect beautiful scenery alongside the hot drama. Wood delivers a sensational escapist journey, taking readers on a highly suspenseful thrill ride, packed with unexpected twists. What surprised me the most was that Ladykiller is Wood’s debut! I was blown away by the expert level plot and character development, storyline connections and descriptive setting.
The ending is multi-faceted, with many plot questions needing to be answered, but Wood pulls it off, managing to tie up all (but one, intentionally) loose end. Wood allows readers to form their own assumptions with the biggest question of all, which means Ladykiller will sit with you long after the final page.
Ladykiller is a unique, carefully crafted novel about female friendships, jealousy and the dangerous ends some people will go to in order to maintain their power and status. A tantalizing page-turner with surprises at every turn, Wood has written the must-read for summer 2024.

This was an interesting story that was very strange with lots of twists. It was easy to relate to the characters but some were hard to believe.. I enjoyed the book and was very surprised at the ending

In this sexy debut novel, Woods delivers a tale of lies, greed, lust, infidelity, and misplaced trust. Young heiress Gia Highsmith Torres marries Garrett, a handsome crook she barely knows. She’s too naïve and infatuated to see that he’s really after her money. It’s nearly midway through the story when Gia finally faces the truth and sees her sham marriage crumbling and wealth dwindling. But suspicions grow that something far worse has happened to Gia when her brother Benny and her best friend Abby are unable to contact her. The story alternates between Abby’s side of the story and “Gia’s Manuscript,” revealing a growing web of deceit along the way.

I really enjoyed this book, it had good suspense and I liked the characters. The author had me guessing up until about 75%!

Loved it! Twisty, a great setting, unreliable characters and lots of secrets. I read this in one sitting and immediately raved about it to my book friends! Freaking Fantastic!

Love this book. I read it over the course of a few days. Great mystery thriller. Fantastic descriptions of Greece and character development. I was in the edge of my seat from the beginning. Wish I was in Greece!

Ladykiller comes out July 9th and this setting had me wishing I was at a pool sooooo bad. It's definitely a great beach read. Katherine Wood (previously known as Katherine St. John) does vacation vibes so well in her books and I absolutely loved the Greek Isles location in her latest.

I read two of her other books, The Siren and The Lion's Den, and felt like this one fit in perfectly with the style of those two. I enjoyed all three of her books, but each has been lacking a little something. This one for me was a little too long and I was disappointed in the ambiguous ending. But I did love the celeb drama and all of the backstabbing. It was delightfully dark and salacious (much like her other books). The Siren is my favorite by her, but Ladykiller follows closely behind. And this cover... 🔥 omg so good.
⭐⭐⭐💫

You know a good thriller when it keeps you interested after the first few pages.

It’s well written with Gia who is bold, bossy and boastful; and Abby who is ethical, works all the time and tends to please people. Everything revolves around the emotions of Gia – the girl with the money. Her father, Hugo Torres, recently passed leaving her with a $14 million estate and a good chunk of comfort funds.

Shortly after that, Gia was enchanted with Garrett, who of course was charming and handsome. Within a month, they were engaged and three months later married against her friend’s judgement. Abby didn’t go to the wedding. And now Gia was pleading with Abby to join her in Sweden to see the northern lights and added that her attractive, single brother would also be there. How could Abby say no to this trip complete with first-class airline tickets? She was a hard-working lawyer and needed a vacation.

We know something was going to happen. And with a few clues, it wasn’t too hard to make basic predictions half way through. It’s a perfect beach read and easy plot to get caught up in the passionate romance and dreamy images of life on a beautiful Greek island. This would be the type of book that would be fun to watch as a movie.

My thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 9, 2024.