This was a quick, fun read - lighthearted in many ways, in spite of the subject matter!
4 women went on a hen party to a villa in Spain, but only 3 of them returned. Now those 3 are returning to the scene of the crime, one determined to remember the night in question to help to come to peace with the murder of their hen.
Obviously this is a book full of secrets and lies. It's pretty obvious that there is more to the story than the break-in gone wrong crime that the police decided on.
The characters are great and the storyline is fast moving enough to keep you intrigued. The big reveal wasn't entirely what I expected, but wasn't too far off, but the red herrings throughout will keep you guessing.
It would make a great summer read, easy to speed through to find out what really happened.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Aoife died three years earlier at her own hen party. Her friends and hens return to the same villa where she died to try to make sense of what happened and hopefully find some closure. However, the weekend tests friendships and relationships and stirs up suspicions. Lots of twists throughout the book and leaves the reader questioning who was responsible. Clever ending. Didn’t see it coming.

I loved the location of the book but I just couldn’t get on with any of the characters. Parts were a tad too over the top but all in all the storyline was a good one and the writing did keep me reading rather than DNF.

This is a horrible late review but I really enjoyed this! Great tension building and totally spot on in terms of these toxic friend groups we often find ourselves in.

A great first time author for me to check on more books. I loved the multiple perspectives of this book. Really kept me gripped and I flew through this in a few sittings. Loved it.

Three years ago, bride-to-be Aoife died at her own hen party.

Now the hens have returned to the villa where that terrible weekend unfolded.

The Villa tells a story about 5 friends on a hen weekend that goes wrong. This was a good summer read, but if a page turner and and easy read, with a couple of big twists at the end.

The story flits between the hens weekend 3 years ago, and present day. Its told from the different perspectives of the four remaining women: Dani, Tiff, Beth and Colette and builds up to the part each of them played during that fateful weekend when the Hen, Aoife, died.

This was an enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone who likes a crime thriller page turner. I gave it 4 out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. I have also published this review on Goodreads and will publish it on Amazon.

Another brilliantly written, captivating read by Jess Ryder.
Perfectly paced, loaded with suspense, I loved it.

The Villa by Jess Ryder.

3 STARS.

An interesting enough thriller. There's the usual cast of characters you expect to see in a mystery like this; the ever so slightly glamorous but off setting and an undercurrent through it all. A good holiday beach read, no doubt.

𝟒.𝟕𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 .𐦍༘⋆
this book had me in a chokehold omg
the unsolved murder, the setting, the writing style, the multiple pov and dual timelines ! it was all executed so well! i loved trying to piece this unsolved case with dani.

i really liked the twists in the end of the book (although of them were a bit on the nose) but i wish they had some more repercussions to certain people’s actions in the case.

i loved that all of the characters were so flawed from the beginning that you didn’t really know who to suspect and who was just a person trying to get through this hen party with people they didn’t really like.

I absolutely loved ‘The Villa’! The way it seamlessly weaves between past and present, unraveling secrets from each character’s perspective, keeps you hooked from the start. The suspense builds perfectly, leaving you guessing right until the very end. If you enjoy a gripping mystery with twists you won’t see coming, I highly recommend this book!”

📖 NetGalley Review

The Villa by Jess Ryder
Penguin, 18th July 2024

Blurb:
Three years ago, bride-to-be Aoife died at her own hen party. Now the hens have returned to the villa where that terrible weekend unfolded.
They long for closure. But the moment they step back inside, old wounds open, and tensions begin to rise.
Everyone has a different version of what happened that night.
Someone is keeping secrets.
How far will they go to keep them hidden?

Review:
Five friends joined Aoife for her hen party in Andalucia, but three years later, only the friends return. Dani has booked the trip without letting the others know, hoping it will improve her memory, as her mind is a blank as a result of being drugged.
Aside from this, you could cut the atmosphere in the group with a knife!

Alternating chapters in the past and the present day give a real sense of both timelines and mystery and suspense abound. The characterisations are excellent, and the imagery of the environment and internal tensions is fantastic. The surprise ending and clever twist, combined with the attention to detail and fine writing make this a thoroughly enjoyable read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Penguin and Jess Ryder for providing an eARC via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.

#TheVilla #JessRyder #PsychologicalThriller #CrimeThriller #NetGalley #ARC #BookReview

Three years ago, bride-to-be Aoife died at her own hen party.

Now the hens have returned to the villa where that terrible weekend unfolded.

They long for closure. But the moment they step back inside, old wounds open and tensions begin to rise.

Everyone has a different version of what happened that night.

Someone is keeping secrets.

How far will they go to keep them hidden?

This was a brilliant read. The narrative switches between then and now built the tension & suspense and had me gripped from start to finish.

I was lucky enough to receive a physical copy of this book an really enjoyed reading it!

I have reviewed this fully on instagram

Another great read from the author. She never disappoints! Gripping, thrilling and engaging, with some really clever twists. Can't wait for more!

Three years ago, Dani, Celine, Tiff, and Beth were at the Villa Floriana near Marbella for Aoife’s hen do. After several days of alcohol-fueled celebrations, Dani wakes up disoriented and unable to make sense of her surroundings. Now, Dani returns to Andalusia with Celine, Tiff, and Beth in search of closure regarding Aoife’s unresolved death. Haunted and seeking answers, Dani hopes to lay her friend's memory to rest. However, each woman has her version of the events from three years ago—can the truth ever be uncovered?

I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the story from each woman's perspective and piecing together their varying accounts of the past. The tension is palpable in both timelines, and the dynamics between the characters are compelling. Their differing personalities create sparks and reveal jealousy, mistrust, and lies, intensifying the narrative. The interactions often become heated, adding depth to the storyline.

As the plot unfolds, it becomes increasingly intricate and gripping, creating an unsettling atmosphere that contrasts sharply with the sunny Spanish setting. While the book effectively utilizes a common trope in psychological thrillers, the author's unique approach and character perspectives offer a fresh take.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

I really enjoyed the duel perspective of this book and found it really easy to follow and enjoyable. I loved all the little tricks to put the reader off of the truth and throughly loved the ending which I never saw coming

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Five friends. One hen party to die for.

Four friends reunite for the 3rd anniversary of their friend Aoife dying on her own hen party. Looking for closure they return to the villa and try to get to the bottom of what really happened. Not everyone is happy to revisit the past and some secrets are best left alone.

I really liked this book and enjoyed how all the different recollections of the circumstances of Aoife’s death all come together. The dynamics between the “friends” also made this a great book and one that kept me engaged throughout. Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheVilla
#JessRyder

I really enjoyed this book! I loved how it went into the past and the present and showed the point of view from each character! This book definitely has you hooked and keeping guessing at who did it! Highly recommend!

This was a great premise for a story. The cover of this book is gorgeous.

The story was good and I can’t say it was written badly, I’m not sure what it was about this book but it didn’t really grip me and I had the feeling that I was just pleased to get to the end of it. I can’t put my finger on why but I wasn’t engrossed.

The story was full of secrets and some twists. You learn that really every single person lied about something. You get multiple POV’s and you also get past and present, which I’m always a fan of.

There was a lot of high drama but unfortunately the tension didn’t grip me. Not sure I’m a big fan of reading about a group of bitchy girls.

I know others have enjoyed it so I would still recommend you give this a try if it sounds up your street.

Thank you to @netgalley for my chance to read and review this book.