After the bride to be is killed whilst on her hen do, her best friend Dani still can’t piece together the pieces of what happened & has remained tortured by it.

Three years later, the remaining hens venture back to the scene to celebrate the life of their friend- with Dani intent on recreating that fateful weekend as best she can, in attempt to find answers.

Instead, this second weekend away reveals secrets that have in some cases festered throughout the years, bringing about further catastrophic circumstances.

The chapters cleverly switch between then & now, revealing each hen’s experiences and memories, and allowing the tensions and rivalries amongst them to both simmer and unravel along the way.

The grain of truth in this book- that people who often have little in common other than all knowing the bride get thrown together for a weekend where everyone is on tenterhooks, made much of the tension in this book feel real from the start. Add to that the twisted events & string pulling in the background & I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!

This was a quick read simply because it was unputdownable, and would make the perfect sun-bed read…as long as you’re not lying around the pool, on a hen weekend in a secluded Marbellan villa…

Note to proofreaders, at 98% of book (unsure of page as it didn’t display), Celine is shown as Celina.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a free review. All opinions are my own.

If you enjoyed One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke, you will probably – like me – enjoy this one too as both feature a small group of women on a hen weekend in the Mediterranean.
This one is set at a holiday villa in the hills above the Costa Del Sol and concerns the shocking death of the bride-to-be at a hen party three years prior to the start of the story.
Dani invites the three other hens back to the villa on the third anniversary of Aoife's death. She has total amnesia about what happened that night and hopes recreating the weekend with the surviving hens will trigger her memories.
The story is told in two timelines: then and now, and from the viewpoints of Dani - Aoife's university friend; Tiff and Beth - Aoife's school friends; and Celine - Aoife's work colleague. With all five women consuming industrial qualities of alcohol, it's a wonder they didn't all succumb to liver failure at the hen weekend. The author does a great job of describing the sleazy side of the Marbella club scene. (It makes me thankful I’m too old for hen parties.) However, she also depicts the beautiful countryside away from the coast and the delicious local food. Dani is a likeable lead character, and there’s a good sense of suspense.
This will be a great beach read for 2024.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

A really solid 4 star read. A hen party thriller that could easily have fallen flat but I found it gripping - believable characters, evocative scene setting, twists and turns. Also love a mystery/crime book that has short chapters with switching narrative voices and flashbacks - it always helps to make it a page-turner. Would recommend to get you out of a reading slump and for fans of Lisa Jewell. Thanks NetGalley and Penguin for the preview!

A great story with so many twists and turns, some I suspected from the descriptions of the characters but still some great shocks thrown in for good measure.

Aoife is in Marbs on her Hen Party with 4 of her friends when the worst happens and she is found dead in the villa.
3 years on one of her Hens Dani organises for her and the other Hens to go back to the place where it all happens to visit her grave and pay their respects but Dani has other ideas and wants to find out the real truth.

This book was really good! I couldn’t put it down and was shocked at the ending! It wasn’t how I thought the story would end at all! I loved the characters and the secrets they all had. I also loved how it was written from different characters perspectives and that it went from the past to present day.

I really recommend this book.
I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 (4.5)

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone & Netgalley for the advanced reading copy.

Aoife is on her hen do in the costa del Sol. Staying at a luxury villa the hens are having a fantastic time. However, tragedy unfolds when there is a break in and the bride is left dead.
Three years one and the hens have returned to Spain in honour of Aoife. All have been suffering in their own ways. And some have secrets to hide over what happened on that fateful trip.
A very slow start with this book. At time I felt like giving up. However, the ending came together with a final twist.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC

The perfect novel to read while sipping on cocktails somewhere warm on a sun lounger.
I thought at first that it was a relatively relaxed read a cross between a chick lit with a little whoddunit but it definitely hooked me in.
Poor Aofie the bride to be is marrying the man of her dreams, the beautiful flat in London, wonderful friends so who would break into The Villa on her hen party and kill her?

Not my personal favourite style of book but for that “thing” it definitely deserves a FOUR STAR review.
Thank you all for an advanced copy of The Villa

In my view this is poor ‘chick lit’ I wouldn’t have continued if I wasn’t reading for NetGalley.
I found it disappointing and full of repetitive scenes of drinking and parties.

This book was a quick and easy read. I was dubious at first as the plot sounds similar to a lot of other standard hen party thrillers.

I feel like it was slow to start (we are given a very in-depth description of their time at the airport, collection of luggage and their journey to the villa which I feel could have been edited down) so it took me a while to get into it. I think the author was trying overly hard to set up/create tension in the first few chapters which made the writing slightly flat for me.

Am glad I continued to the end as it was a worthwhile read.

Side note - the cover art is beautiful!

Would recommend.

The final twist was one I couldn’t see coming! This was a fun read. The type that is perfect for long commutes or the beach. I enjoyed it.

I was glued to this, and I couldn't wait to get back to it at bedtime and see what was happening and try to find out what had happened to Aoife. The secrets, tensions, and back stabbing are all so interesting. Couldn't help rooting for Dani and also, couldn't help being very suspicious of the others. A very cleverly written book.

I didn’t stop reading once I started as I had to know what was going on!

Dani needs to know what happened to her friend Aoife who was killed when her and her friends went to Marbella for a hen party three years ago. So she organises a trip back to the Villa where it happened the other girls are not very happy but she is determined to find out the truth.

I never guessed what was to unfold and I s a great story and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC

I literally TORE through this book!

From reading the blurb I was so interested as it's a unique idea quite different from most other crime/ thriller books in the market. The narrative didn't feel too far fetched and I didn't guess the ending at all.

Dani needs to know what happened to her friend Aoife who was killed when her and her friends went to Marbella for a hen party three years ago. So she organises a trip back to the Villa where it happened the other girls are not very happy but she is determined to find out the truth.

There is a lot of drama surrounding the story and really enjoyed it a real page turner and it was great to find out all the personalities of the girls,

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK Cornerstone for an ARC

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

A solid four star read, and I genuinely didn't guess the ending. There were a few twists and turns and red herrings along the way, and although it jumped from past to present it was easy to keep track of.

Quite an enjoyable thriller. Thanks @netgalley for the early copy of this book. Quite an enjoyable thriller. Thanks @netgalley for the early copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this new thriller by Jess Ryder. I was quickly transported to Marbella and felt like I was joining the group of friends for the hen and return trip.
There are plenty of twists and turns which meant I raced through it. It’s a very solid 4 star read that I would recommend.

I love holiday thrillers and this one was no exception. It kept me guessing throughout the entire story and I loved it! Perfect setting and atmosphere with complicated characters you just couldn't stop reading about.

"The Villa" by Jess Ryder is an exceptional addition to the genre of books about groups of friends reuniting after a traumatic event. What sets this book apart is its flawed and captivating characters. The story follows a group of friends at a Marbella hen party where the bride-to-be, Aoife, tragically dies. The mystery of Aoife's death haunts the group for three years until Dani convinces them to return to Marbella to uncover the truth and find closure.
The story switches between past and present, gradually uncovering the events of a hen party with a fateful outcome. The tension and intrigue heighten as Dani tries to find out the truth, with a range of suspicious local characters adding to the mix. The ending is a fantastic twist, finally revealing what happened to Aoife.
I was utterly absorbed in this book and couldn't put it down until I uncovered the truth. With all the essential elements of a captivating thriller, it's the ideal choice for a beach read. Jess Ryder's writing style is compelling and keeps the reader engaged and captivated from start to finish.
I was introduced to Ryder's work through "The Villa", and I must say that I am now quite eager to explore more of her books. How she crafts complex characters and weaves an intriguing plot demonstrates her talent as an author in the psychological thriller genre.
To conclude, "The Villa" is a compelling read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers and books that explore group dynamics. With its complex characters, intriguing plot, and surprising plot twists, it is a real page-turner that will keep you engaged until the end. I recommend adding it to your summer reading list if you want an enthralling read.

I really enjoyed this book by Jess. I was invested from the beginning and read it within a couple of days. I had no idea it would end like it did and that means it was written well with enough suspense to keep me interested!
I’d happily read more by this author.