This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

I absolutely devoured this book!! I loved it so much!! It was my first five-star read of 2024, and my second book by this author. He has solidified himself as a favorite mystery/thriller author of mine, and an auto-buy author now. His stories are so clever and intelligent. This one was no exception. I actually enjoyed it more than The Silent Patient. I also appreciated the Easter eggs and nods to his other story. That was a fun surprise. 

What a wild, twisty, and entertaining ride we go on with this book. I loved every moment and never got bored. I thought the pacing was on point. It also helped that the chapters were short and easy to get through. It was hard to put this book down once I got into it. 

I also loved the perspective that it’s told from, Elliot Chase, one of the characters who experienced the story, and now he’s breaking the fourth wall and talking to the reader like you’re having a drink with him in a bar. It’s such a unique take on the story that will keep you guessing until the very end. 

I had a great time with this murder mystery. There were a few elements that I had figured out, but it didn’t play out the way I thought, so I was surprised after every reveal, and there are quite a few. It was twist after twist after twist, which was a lot of fun. Momentarily, I had whiplash from all the surprises, but I loved it and was so enthralled by this story. I also liked how we would see the same scene play out but from different characters’ perspectives. It allowed the reader to interpret the unfolding of the story in various ways, which was highly entertaining and interesting. There are a few suspenseful scenes, but this leans more on the mystery than the thriller side of the genre. 

One thing that I love about this author’s writing is how psychological and deep it can be at times. There are so many great quotes in this story. I read this as an ARC ebook from NetGalley, but now I want to get a physical copy so I can reread it and annotate everything. I loved getting to know all the characters. It’s beautifully written with so much character development and depth, and detailed descriptions that immerse you into this dramatic world. The book is split up into five acts, so it feels like a play at times. For me, it played out like a movie in my head. It was so easy to visualize everything. 

I had the BEST time reading this book!! It’s just the beginning of the year, and this is already going to be in my top ten list of 2024! Highly, highly recommend it!!