ARC Review - Publish Date: July 9, 2024
Author: Katherine Wood
Series: Stand Alone
Category: Thriller
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️
'Ladykiller' was a challenge to get into, but well worth the effort. The first chapter suffered from info dumping, in the form of a paparazzi posted at a funeral, spouting off names and family ties that were overwhelming and meaningless at that point. Soon enough, the book moves on to the heart of the story, the tragic tale of two best friends, a stalker who upturned their lives, and the aftermath that had deep consequences for everyone involved.
Abby is a no-nonsense girl with a crazy, but mostly lovable best friend. She likes being in Gia's shadow and is mostly grateful for their friendship considering her mother was the chef for Gia's rich family. Abby is vividly aware of the privilege that she doesn't possess and seeks stability while letting her friend shine.
"She was always divisive, beautiful and brash, unable to keep her opinions to herself, while I was the mild, diplomatic one, negotiating our way out of whatever messes she got us into." - Abby
Gia is outgoing, wild, and evasive. It's mostly through her writing that readers get to know her and the events in Greece that led up to her disappearance. But this isn't the first time Gia has written a memoir and it becomes clearer as the story goes on that Gia may have her reasons for recording things the way she did. History is written by the winners after all.
"Gia wasn't a person who lived in black and white; she thrived in full color, and I knew from experience that the truth was hidden between the lines of her books. " - Abby
Once things start to pick up, and more characters are introduced, the pacing becomes faster as more secrets are uncovered about everyone staying in Greece with Gia and her mysterious new husband Garrett. Though it's clear there is deception happening on multiple fronts, it's a guess as to how everything is connected and what can be considered truth considering the source. Much like Gia herself, recollections are embellished and purposefully designed to deceive all in the name of someone else's end goal.
In the end, I was left wondering with more questions than answers. It seems the truth is relative, and as with most thriller novels these days, it's up to the reader to decide what to believe. Perhaps all of the characters held some truths, and maybe some of them believed in their own lies enough they became real.
"Was I wrong about her? The question often keeps me up at night." - Abby
This thriller was a fun read that will keep you questioning what actually happened long after you put it down. I'd highly recommend 'Ladykiller' to anyone who likes enigmatic endings and even their innocent characters morally grey.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for this advanced copy, all thoughts in this book review are my own.
Tropes and Themes: Thriller, Best Friends, Best Friend's Brother, Mystery, Suspense.
Blurb
When an heiress goes missing, her best friend races to unravel the secrets behind her disappearance using clues left behind in an explosive manuscript…
Gia and Abby have been best friends since they were girls, forever bonded by the tragedy that unfolded in Greece when they were eighteen. In the aftermath, bookish Abby threw herself into her studies while heiress Gia chronicled the events of that fateful summer in a salacious memoir.
Twelve years later, Gia is back in Greece for the summer with her shiny new husband and a motley crew of glamorous guests, preparing to sell the family estate in the wake of her father’s death. When Abby receives an invitation from Gia to celebrate her birthday in September beneath the Northern Lights, she’s thrilled to be granted the time off from her high-pressure job. But the day of her flight, she receives a mysterious, threatening email in her inbox, and when she and Gia’s brother Benny arrive at the Swedish resort, Gia isn’t there. After days of cryptic messages and unanswered calls, Abby and Benny are worried enough to fly to Greece to check on her.
Only, when they arrive, they find Gia’s beachfront estate eerily deserted, the sole clue to her whereabouts a manuscript she wrote detailing the events leading up to her disappearance. The pages reveal the dark truth about Gia’s provocative new marriage and the dirty secrets of the guests they entertained with fizzy champagne under the hot Mediterranean sun. As tensions rise, Gia feels less and less safe in her own home. But the pages end abruptly, leaving Abby and Benny with more questions than answers.
Where is Gia now? And, more importantly, will they find her before it’s too late?
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