Four friends reunite at a luxury retreat but not is all that it seems.
Each friend has their own reason for coming but they don't get the luxury stay that they expect.
The novel tells all of their stories and flits back and forth to keep you guessing until the end.
Good read.

I loved this atmospheric thriller and was hooked early on by the characters, the mystery, the location and the promise of so many secrets to be slowly revealed.

Four 30-ish women, such close friends throughout their childhood and school days, have drifted apart for reasons that become clear later in the book. Three of them receive an out-of-the-blue all expenses paid invitation to a long weekend birthday party at a fabulously luxurious safari lodge in remote Botswana. Who could resist a chance to meet up, bond once again, party and reminisce? Time is such a healer after all. The mystery deepens when Alice, Grace and Hannah arrive at the lodge late at night to find no-one else there, yet fresh food and cold champagne have been laid out for them in the dining room.

The cast of characters is very small but there were a few red herrings. The ending was great - a final twist in the tale which came as a surprise to me.

A cautionary tale for why you should never attend reunions with old friends, haha.

In this book we get 4 main characters, a cautious shy one, a cool girl popular one, a mum and an edgy one. The story is split over 2 timelines (which are separated VERY neatly in part 1 and part 2 so its not confusing at all) and told between all of their perspectives. Its heartracing and fast paced. Touches on a few very sensitive subjects so be careful.

I love getting into a good thriller and this is definitely a great one!

Four friends, four different lives....they've drifted apart, but an opportunity arises for them to reconnect at an all expenses paid holiday at an exclusive lodge in Botswana.
It's Felicity's birthday and she's invited them all, but underlying secrets and emtions lead to something much more sinister. Hannah, Grace and Alice find themselves in a terrifying situation., in a foreign country, with nowhere to go.
At a get together a few years previously, something happened to dislocate their friendship and it's time for a reckoning...

The narrative started well enough, introducing the women via their own voices, and builds slowly until their arrival in Botswana. Their backstories were authentic (the nightclub scenario), but it was the introduction of Deception Valley Lodge that ruined it for me. It does exist, but in this context just too obvious. No staff, no welcoming committee....I just wasn't convinced by it. I lost interest after that. If one of the party had been eaten by lions or stalked by hyenas, it might have justified it being set in Botswana. It does have a twist at the end, but not enough for me, unfortunately.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. A group of sixth formers with bright futures ahead of them take part in a dare devil car ride which leaves a mother and 2 children dead. One of the group, Megan, agrees to take the blame, and goes to prison. The payback is that she can ask a favour of each of the others when she is released. Now, 20 years down the line, Megan is out. This is a real page turner, which will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I think I would describe this as an escapist psychological thriller. The story was highly readable, switching regularly from the perspectives of the four friends meeting up again for a thirtieth birthday party in a lodge complex in Botswana. With such a limited cast of characters and an underlying revenge motive for a number of events a few years earlier, it wasn’t too difficult to work out who was behind the events that emerge, but this did not detract from the page turning quality of the narrative. That said, there was very little depth and warmth to the women’s friendship and none of the characters were very likeable. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it in advance of publication.

Loved this! So good, so exciting, so gripping and great story. Can't wait to read more by this author - absolutely brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant book. I was completely hooked. Loved the characters and beautiful setting. This stands out from all the rest. Brilliant. Highly recommended xx

Imagine receiving an invitation for an all expenses paid trip to Botswana, only there's a catch.. you're going with a group of friends who you haven't seen for years as past secrets and betrayals have lead you all down different life paths. Are friendships like this worth mending? Start reading! 👀

This was very much an up and down read for me; Part one was just SUCH a slow burner and started to drag on, so much so that I found myself bored and reading for the sake of it because I don't like to give up on a book. That being said, parts two and three of the book were brilliant and I loved the twists! I really do believe The Wild Girls would have been a better read if the flashbacks of the girls lives from before the trip were placed in throughout the book as opposed to just the end.

Books which alternate between different characters perspectives are usually my favourite but I felt it took me a while to get to know the characters and I was constantly having to remind myself of who was who / what each person's background was. I didn't find any of the characters to be particularly likeable.

Let me finish on a definite positive however: I LOVED the setting. In a time where travel is restricted, it was very welcomed to be transported to the beautiful, hot and seemingly luxurious location of Botswana ☀️

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

Oh I do love a locked in read. Four friends Felicity, Alice, Hannah and Grace, who’ve not seen each other in two years since a fateful night in their relationship are suddenly thrown back together when out of the blue a gilt edged invitation to Felicity’s birthday party in Botswana drops on three of their door mats.
This is brilliantly written, you can feel the heat of the sun, the humidity of the air and the sheer tension as the story unfolds. You can always trust your oldest friends, or can you?

This was a really excellent whodunnit that kept me on my toes throughout so well crafted it really hit the mark for me.
Four friends Felicity, Alice, Hannah and Grace they used to call themselves the wing girls but after certain events happened one night to cause a rift they haven’t seen each for a few years when out of the blue Alice, Hannah and Grace receive an invitation to a birthday party from Felicity. Well this is no ordinary party it’s a long weekend away in Botswana all expenses paid well I mean who could resist !!
The book is one that really kept me guessing little bits of information were slowly revealed and it seems everyone had a secret to hide.
Good characters, great setting and plot I raced through the book and can highly recommend it as a good mystery.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Four friends haven't met up in years after something dramatic went down two years ago. However as Felicity is about to turn 30, she tries to get the group back together for an all-expenses-paid trip to Botswana. The luxury lodge and the safari setting are the perfect atmospheric setting for a birthday celebration and a reconciliation, but things soon turn out to be less than ideal.

Felicity, Hannah, Grace and Alice used to be the best of friends and reconciling for a birthday party in a gorgeous setting made this seem like it might be a light-hearted read, but soon it becomes sinister, fast-paced and there are loads of twists. With plentiful foreboding and an underlying theme of revenge, this had me hooked from the beginning.

There were times when it was hard to differentiate between Hannah, Grace and Alice's perspectives as I found the characters and their 'voices' to be quite similar and their experiences and thoughts were at times generic and they seem to merge into one another as there's no real distinction between them and their personalities. I was also a little disappointed by the lack of diversity in ethnicity, sexual preference etc. because they were all just straight white women. In addition, the setting of Botswana could be utilised more to really set the scene.

In spite of this, there were surprises and revelations throughout, and seeing different events unfold from each woman's perspective kept me on tenterhooks. Along with mysterious messages and the aptly named 'Deception Valley Lodges', the story takes you on a rollercoaster ride to uncover secrets and betrayals in this clever thriller. I do think the ending is a little rushed after the clever deceit and unravelling throughout the rest of the story.

*Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the review copy

I read this one quiet sunday afternoon,and have to say,the time and the book just flew by.
We know things arent going to end well for everyone after the explosive starting.
First of all I was racing through,to find out what had happened that was so bad,that it exploded the whole friendship...
Then I just kept going,because you know when an offer of a weekend in africa all expenses paid comes in,its got to be too good to be true.
Alarm bells kept ringing throughout... yet our foolish characters seemed oblivious.
The ending was totally over the top,and that's what's so great about this book.. it makes it incredible fun to read.

Fun,but quite dark at times.
Very enjoyable.

Thanks to netgalley and HQ publishing I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The wild Girls is the story of four friends who, like so many of us havent kept in touch partially due to how life is but also because friendship is fragile and needs to be nurtured.

Felicity invites her three best friends to Botswana to celebrate ehr brithday, it s an all expenses paid trip. Who could refuse that. Grace is a recluse but even shes onboard for the reunion, and shes probably got more to worry about then the rest of them. Shes always felt the odd one out in the group and they ve found her a little weird.

When the girls arrive theres some things that seem odd but not anything to set off alarm bells. The lodge is amazing, instagram worthy, the sort of place celebritys would stay. But, no sign of Felicity. Apparently shes sick. Then things start to get weird. The doors dont have locks, food appears but theres no servants. And where are they really?

Its interesting how the different girls cope with the situation they are put in. Pressure, fear and paranoia work in different ways. Its interesting that some things that you think will be vital or important are nothing but other things are so big you almost think it must be wrong. The girls past, their history together and more importantly what is that thing they all keep thinking of.

I’ll be honest there were some things that didnt suprise me, because at the end of the day its human behaviour, but thats what makes this story great. Its like a magnifying glass on humans, and as the girls stories are explained more and more it makes so much sense.

I just wanted to give them all a hug at points of their backstory. Theres some parts of the book that are hard to read and possibly will be a little emotional for people and thats probably my main gripe about this and many other books. There seems to be a common storyline at the moment around child/baby loss, failure or trouble concieveing. I know its real, its common but it seems like its being thrown around alot, and for people who want to escape reality and disappear ito a book it cn be a hard reminder that you cant escape your problems.

An enjoyable read, the plot and characters are very engaging and I found I had to keep reading to find out what happened next. The characters were well drawn and the friendships were complex and sinister. The story was in 2 timelines and I really wanted to know the back story which came in the second half of the book.. I did enjoy it and although there was a final twist the ending did feel a little rushed.

A thoroughly gripping and enjoyable book. I read The Wild Girls over two days, once I started I was keen to know how the drama would unfold and to get to know the reasons for the tragic events that happened deep in Botswana. A setting that added the interest and suspense of the story. A fast pace read where the background of the characters and their relationships develop as the story continues. I really enjoy Phoebe’s writing style and her deep imagination in crafting a plot and its characters. Phoebe is an accomplished author and editor, and she brings a freshness to her books and the market. I would recommend The Wild Girls and Phoebe’s other books.

I was looking forward to reading and I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy from NetGallery.

What a wonderful setting for a psychological thriller. What could be better than a remote luxurious safari lodge in Botswana, far from civilisation but potentially rather close to all manner of dangerous and magnificent animals.

And what a lodge it is, it sounds magnificent, well apart from the fact that Hannah, Alice and Grace appear to be the only guests, even Felicity their host hasn't come to meet them, and there are some rather potentially sinister notes about the place that allude to their joint past.

Not that we initially know exactly what happened two years ago to make all four former best friends, become estranged, just that something bad happened, and that almost certainly none of our three main women whose viewpoints we are seeing, are telling the complete truth.

This has a rather creepy vibe to it, as things start to go let's say slightly awry at first and the lack of even staff at the lodge is rather unsettling too. That and their individual lodge doors don't have keys which is rather unusual.

I'm not convinced this book will be loved by the Botswana tourist board, although it paints the country in glorious technicolour and does really make me want to visit and perhaps go on safari, I would definitely stay clear of any luxury lodges with names such as Deception Lodge - which is such a clever piece of naming from the author.

I was completely hooked by the plot of this book, and really wasn't quite sure who was to blame, and was enthralled to see how it all unfolded.

It's my favourite sort of psychological thriller, a great location, an unsettled feeling while reading and absolutely no idea what will happen next, but dying to find out!

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Right from the beginning, this book was intruiging and so easy to get into. The narrative was mainly split between 3 main characters, so once I'd got to grips with who was who, it was much easier.
I loved how this book was written, it was so immersive and genuinely evoked feelings of panic and suspense!

The only minor thing that I didn't enjoy was the flashback. The first two thirds of the book are fast paced and based in present day in Botswana. Then it flashes back to explain what happened 2 years ago and, although necessary, it does cause the book to lose momentum. Although I was intruiged to know what had happened, I found myself wanting to hurry up and get back to Botswana.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable book and one that I would highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for trusting me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Birthday Girl has it all but chose love over her friends. The Teacher feels the walls of her flat and classroom and closing in. The mother loves her baby, but desperately needs a break, and the introvert who yearns for adventure after suffering for too long. Arriving at the safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles over them. There is no sign of the party that was promised. There is no phone signal. They are alone, in the wild. The hunt is on.

This is my first read of Phoebe Morgan and I really enjoyed it. There are twists and turns throughout the book and gives the reader a huge surprise at the end. I enjoyed getting to know the girls both individually and collectively as the book goes on. If I had to choose a favourite it would be Grace as I identified with her more than the others and was rooting for her the whole time. I do feel cheated though as I felt that the story just ended and that is why I am giving the book 4 stars and not 5.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt a real depth and understanding of the main characters, despite their being four of them. The setting was well described and I could picture it very clearly in my mind. I looked forward to coming home from work to read it.