ex-cop, suspense, murder, murder-investigation, TV/film-industry*****

A traumatized ex-cop with PTSD, a reality TV show on a Greek island complete with film crew, and a diabolical murderer with a timetable. Most of the suspects (as well as the victims) are rather unpleasant characters (or just plain dippy) but the suspense keeps ratcheting up as the story rolls on. Well done and I love the main character for her resourcefulness and realistic aspect!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Canelo via NetGalley. Thank you!

It is not a secret (basically cause I repeat it every chance I get) that And then there were none is my favorite book ever, so you can imagine my level of excitement when I learnt about The Islanders, a modern retake on the classic mixed with one of the biggest guilty pleasures nowadays, reality TV. I knew this was gonna be a winner and I wasn't wrong. In fact, this book got me out of the reading slump the last couple of books I read had put me in. When I read a book in less than a day that's always a good sign!

Kimberly King is randomly selected along a group of strangers to participate in the new series of LoveWrecked, one of the most popular reality tv competitions. With no job on the horizon and lots of bills to pay she can't say no the offer, so there she goes to a greek island where the show will be shot. But trouble comes knocking into paradise when soon after arriving her fellow contestants start dying one by one and what promised to be the experience of a lifetime turns into the EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME (that might be cut short, both the experience and the lifetime).

Locked room murder mysteries are my favorite kind and this one was not the exception. What an absolute page turner! I found it impossible to stop reading. The writing was really engaging and it's hard to believe this was just a debut novel. Kim was a very sympathetic character and you couldn't help wanting her to solve the murders, but not so much so people stopped dying but so she didn't add more blame to her shoulders. The rest of the characters were pretty unlikeable so that made it even more fun when they met their untimely end. All the countdowns to solve the murders really added to the tension.

I loved, loved, loved all the nods to Agatha Christie and her novel (the judge!), and let's be honest, you can't go wrong when you draw inspiration from the Queen of Crime herself!

The ending was really satisfying and I loved how we got little bits of information ahead of the big reveal so we could start putting everything together before the killer's unveiling.

Exciting and fast paced debut with all the ingredients for locked room murder mystery lovers to have a fantastic time. The author dedicates the book "to my Gran, who loved whodunits", and after reading it I can say she would be proud of this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A crime thriller for the modern-day world, The Islanders features a reality TV show, taking place on a remote Greek island, which definitely has some 2020/lockdown vibes. But when the contestants start dying, protagonist Kim is drawn into a twisted game with a deadly deadline. Leonard writes so well, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. With influences from the likes of Agatha Christie, this book is truly engaging and the perfect piece of escapism. I devoured it in a day and couldn't stop reading until I'd discovered the truth.

The Islanders is an energetic, fast-paced ride you won't be able to put down.

An addictive, mysterious thriller which keeps you gripped right until the last page!
I absolutely loved this book! I was initially drawn in by the cover of the book as it is so eye catching you can't help but want to learn more about the book. I was not at all disappointed!
S. V. Leonard has taken what should have been a fun, summer reality show and turned it into a complete nightmare filled with revenge and death. Each time I thought I had an idea of 'who done it' I found out I was wrong.
Overall, I found this book thrilling and full of suspense! I would recommend this book if you love an addictive thriller with some reality show vibes!
Thank you to S. V. Leonard, Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved the plot of this book and so glad it lived up to my expectations.

Kimberley King is ramdomly chosen to go on the new series of Love Wrecked, why is she picked and out of no where? With 100k up for grabs Kimberley is going to win this show.

Like the other contestants they all have a past they are hiding.

One of the contestants is found dead and it is upto Kimberley to solve it.

I really enjoyed this read think Love Island meets Death In Paradise.

This will keep you on your toes and guessing all the way throughout, who who who and why???

A Challenge Too Far....?
When hard up Kimberley King signs up for the huge, hit smash slow that is ‘LoveWrecked’ following a seemingly random social media pick of contestants she is blissfully unaware of the horrors that will follow. With a likeable protagonist and a well drawn, colourful cast of supporting characters this quickly became an addictive, one sitting read. The plot is somewhat addictive and the twist is satisfying and even though the reader may well see it coming it’s really none the worse for that. Wholly entertaining and some perfect escapism.

This was a fun read. Kim King is scouted to join LoveWrecked (think love island) and when she loses her job the same day as meeting the agent she says yes.

From here I don’t want to give any spoilers, but things get dark! The show is definitely not what anyone was expecting.

Granted this book is quite far from the realms of reality but it was so fun and a really enjoyable read.

Recommended highly, especially if you need a book for a palette cleanser after a heavy book as I did.

#TheIslanders #NetGalley
Kimberley King has spent the last five years trying to outrun the reason she left the police force. Her life is a mess and she’s desperate for change. So when she is randomly selected for the new series of the hit show LoveWrecked, she can’t pass up the chance to win the £100,000 prize. All Kimberley needs to do is couple up with one of her fellow contestants, win the infamous LoveWrecked challenges, and she will have enough cash for a fresh start.But the island isn’t the paradise she was promised and within hours, one of the contestants is dead. Then the announcement comes: one of the islanders is a murderer and Kimberley must find out who, live on television. For every hour it takes her, one more person will die.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me an advanced copy.

Such fun! I absolutely loved this book. It was Cluedo meets Love Island in The best possible way. I didn’t guess the twists at all, but I was delighted with the pace. Just the ticket for a rainy January.

I have a weak spot for a good locked room mystery and there was just something about the blurb of The Islanders that caught my eye immediately. The sound of a TV show with a twist, a murder and an investigation while the clock is literally ticking... Oh yes, I had a feeling in my bones that this debut and me would get along. Thankfully my instincts turned out to be absolutely right, as I ended up having a fantastic time with this story! I found myself to be literally glued to the pages and entertained until the very last chapter... 100% recommended if you enjoy the genre!

The first thing that stands out is the tropical setting. I always love it when a story manages to take me to different places, and the setting on an (unknown) Greek island definitely added a little something extra. The set up of the LoveWrecked TV show with the mansion and all the cameras capturing everything that happens on the Greek island make for some very entertaining reading, especially since the contestants are supposedly chosen at random and you wonder what their motives for joining the show would be.

I personally loved the plot. I'm a big sucker for the locked room trope, and we have the ultimate locked room mystery here on an isolated Greek island, with the added pressure of the hourly deadline to solve the crime. The pace of the story never slows down and this story will keep you on your toes as well as entertained the whole time. I simply couldn't stop reading, wondering who was behind it all! You will find lots of suspense and plot twists to keep you busy too, and The Islanders without doubt ends with a bang and a final twist I most definitely didn't see coming.

The story is told from the POV of Kimberley King, who is an interesting enough character with her own secrets and past. The fact that she used to be a police officer is perfect for the plot of course, as she is forced to investigate the murder of one of the LoveWrecked contestants... The rest of the cast makes for an interesting mix of personalities, and while they might not be exactly likeable, they do all add to the story and their development felt realistic.

Kimberley's POV is interrupted with emails to the mysterious owner of JustDeserts and entries on the Spyland.co.uk website, which both added a little something extra to the plot as well as dropping hints about twists and revealing more information. The writing itself is engaging and flows easily; combined with the fast pace it transforms The Islander into a real pageturner that is absolutely worth the read.

In short, if you love a good locked room mystery that will keep you on your toes as well as entertained until the very last page, I can highly recommend this debut. I will definitely be hoping to see more of her work in the future!

I love books based on reality shows. This is sort of a claustrophobic mystery set an a Bacheloresque universe. I love this delicious plot and the characters were charismatic. I highly recommend.