4.5 stars 🌟

This is the perfect summer holiday read, set on gorgeous private island in the Bahamas, a girls holiday gone wrong. It really kept me guessing although, I did figure out the big twist early on, but this didn’t spoil anything.

The setting is perfect, the characters are all really unlikable and the ending satisfying. This was so close to being a 5 star read for me but I just felt like some things were very far fetched and a bit unbelievable.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance copy.

This was described as lord of the rings but with grown up women. I have to agree that sums it up nicely.

The story follows four best friends going to their old 'friend' Poppy's hen do after each receiving plane tickets for a luxury holiday together. The only problem is that the four friends were bullies to Poppy.

This is a quick read with lots of action. The setting is also beautiful. However, it was very far fetched and predictable (even the big twist).

If you're looking for an entertaining but easy to read suspense this is for you. Just don't expect to fall in love with the characters.

Annabelle, Esther, Chloe and Tanya are invited to Poppy’s Hen do. This could be a wonderful thing but they haven’t heard from her in ten years and the last time they did, they were bullying her.
But they can’t refuse a private island in the Bahamas.

I disliked the entire cast list in this book and was hoping they would get their just desserts but wow, this book gets messy.

Some parts are clever and some are basic, none of this helped by very basic writing which might have been a choice but did feel amateurish.
The plot is very typical of this type of book but the location was well written.

The book has content warnings, which I accept is de rigeur but what I found a bit more confusing was the lack of care shown to other sensitive topics in this book, it seemed somewhat pointless.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, in return for an honest review, which this is.

A story about childhood trauma, jealousy and revenge.
The plot opens as four women receive unexpected invitations to a hen party. They are to be the bridesmaids to someone they haven't spoken to for over ten years. However that won't stop Annabel, Chloe, Esther and Tanya accepting, especially as it includes first class travel to a private island. So, whats that catch well they mercilessly bullied the bride to be throughout her childhood. Many of the events captured in her diary. To be honest anyone who has suffered bullying will empathise with 'Poppy" who has been through it all. I couldn't not have her back on this trip. However the question is will she be able to put it all behind her or will the need to seek retribution and revenge make this a trip to hell. Surely people change as they get older and mean girls become nice girls.
Gilbert manages to create an intense claustrophobic environment on what should be an idyllic island. At no point is there pause to breath as she unravels the fate of the hen party. As a debut this is a first class read.
Thank you NetGalley so much for what was an enjoyable yet triggering read. I highly recommend this and have no doubt that this will be a blockbuster this summer. Great twist!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

This book is an entertaining psychological thriller that I can see being a hit for summer. It takes place on a small private island in the Bahamas, but also contains flashbacks to the characters time at school in the form of diary entries.

Not a single character was likeable in any way. I get that this was part of the storyline, but it would’ve been nice to see a bit of humanity from them.

Whilst the twist at the end wasn’t completely unexpected, I wish there had been more clues throughout the book that suggested it was coming.

Such lovely twisty thriller. Love it reminds me bit of Agatha Christie. Great plot and the twist and turns in the book are amazing. I would highly recommend it.

The whole hen-do abroad with toxic female friendships has become something of a cliche in the psychological suspense genre. It is a gripping trope (don’t get me wrong), one I can’t resist, but I do find lately that it is a bit hit or miss for me. This one I can safely say was a huge hit. The characters are differentiated and relatable, with a tense current running through the group. Gilbert is a confident and assured writer that from the get-go I was hooked and she kept me hooked and invested in the characters. My heart was in my mouth throughout and the last act especially which is filled with twists and reveals was so tense and full of dread. I even cried a little for one of the characters. What an accomplishment of a debut!

Amazing. Gripping from the first page. I really felt all of the emotions throughout and the pain Poppy went through. Would 100% recommend immediate 5 stars. Absolutely loved the revenge plot.

I typically find the hen do thriller tropes a bit tired, but this was such a fun and escapist read! Very twisty and the setting was dreamy...

This was such a perfect thrilling beach read. A psychological suspense story following four female friends who are invited to a hen-do of an old school classmate with an all expense paid holiday to a Caribbean island. But there’s a little twist…the old classmate is girl who was bullied by the four friends and who they haven’t spoken to in a decade. She says she’s forgotten the past. Forgive and forget. But is she telling the truth or is she out for revenge.
This was such a delicious read. The characters are unlikeable but they suck you into their narcissism and you are captivated. You get flashbacks to their teen years and you find out what really happened all those years ago. There are themes of bullying. I was emotionally invested and completely bereft by the end of the book. The characters were so believable and real even if unlikeable. I look forward to reading more of Sian Gilbert’s work in the future. A solid thriller debut.

A perfect holiday read - but maybe not if you're with old school friends on a remote island! Hard to believe this is a debut novel as the story just flows seamlessly. Great pace and fabulous characters, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I loved this book so much, a psychological thriller that follows friends who are invited to a hen so, I won’t give any more away. This book kept me hooked , I just couldn’t put it down I would highly recommend you read it.

She Started It is an immersive and pacy psychological suspense story following four female friends who’ve been invited to the hen-do of Poppy, their classmate who they haven’t seen in ten years. It slowly becomes clear they didn’t treat Poppy well and perhaps this all expense trip to a Carribean island is too good to be true.
This is a suspense story with a popular holiday destination/hen-do turns deadly trope which can be a bit hit or miss. This one however was completely gripping and a total hit for me. I couldn’t put it down. The story is narrated from each four friend and we start to see that they all have secrets, even from each other. Some of the twist I saw coming but because the characters were so engaging and I was emotionally invested in the story I was along for the ride.

What a great novel! I could not put it down- Would definitely recommend to others. Looking forward to the authors next novel!

Brilliant!!!!!
Great debut novel, written with such assurance
Poppy Greer is getting married and has in, she has invited her old school friends to a private island to help her celebrate.
As the friends get reacquainted it seems that its not merriment Poppy has on her mind...
Fantastic locked room feel thriller, loved it!

#SheStartedIt #NetGalley
Awesome.
Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe are best friends—or were, as children. Despite drifting apart in adulthood, shared secrets have kept them bonded for better or worse, even as their childhood dreams haven’t quite turned out as they’d hoped. Then one day they receive a wholly unexpected—but not entirely unwelcome—invitation from another old friend. Poppy Greer has invited them all to her extravagant bachelorette party: a first-class plane ticket to three days of white sand, cocktails, and relaxation on a luxe private island in the Bahamas.
None of them has spoken to Poppy in years. But Poppy’s Instagram pics shows that the girl they used to consider the weakest link in their group has definitely made good—and made money. Curiosity gets the better of them. Besides, who can turn down a posh all-expenses-paid vacation on a Caribbean island? The first-class flight and the island’s accommodations are just as opulent as expected...even if the scenic island proves more remote than they’d anticipated. Quite remote, in fact, with no cell service, and no other guests. The women quickly discover they’ve underestimated Poppy, and each other. As their darkest secrets are revealed, the tropical adventure morphs into a terrifying nightmare.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for giving me an advance copy.

Keep your friends close…..this novel has it all, secrets, lies and thoroughly vile characters. A great read on the whole, though a little unbelievable at times.

Excellent first novel, I will definitely read this author's next book. A little unbelievable in parts and nasty characters but I enjoyed it - probably because it describes me! I didn't guess the twist until about three quarter the way through.
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to give my unbiased opinion.

I have found a new Author. And this is her. Debut Novel and it's an amazing read. Poppy Greer is getting married. And she invites. her old school friends. Chloe Esther Tanya Annabel as her bridesmaids to a private island in the Bahamas flights are first class. but they were really not her friends. this is the story. Of all the five girls. one is innocent. and four of them will do anything to get what they want in life. It's an amazing read but parts are sad I so recommend this book.

She Started It
Written by Sian Gilbert

Blurb:

Poppy Greer is getting married and four of her old schoolmates are to be her trusted bridesmaids. They may have drifted but true friendships last a lifetime, don't they? Plus, who would pass on a free first-class ticket to white sands and bottomless cocktails on a private Caribbean island?

But the women have underestimated their host, and each other. And as their darkest secrets are revealed, the trip of their dreams becomes the hen do from hell.

Will anyone make it off the island alive?

My Review:

First of all, let me start by telling you that I really wanted to write more of a description of what this plot is about, - but I really don’t want to give away any spoilers! - so I’ve chosen not to elaborate further, from that of the cover blurb, as written above.
I really enjoyed reading this, & I found the way in which it was written, - alternating between the women, whilst also including some intermittent diary entries, - quite a refreshing change. When I initially started reading this, I was worried that this alternating between the women, would make it harder to get into, & follow, due to the switching from one character, to the other, - but this wasn’t the case at all, & this style worked really very well within this plot.
It kept a good pace throughout, & was full of suspense, and outings of secrets, - it kept me hooked, & kept me wanting to read more, just to find out what happens, - which between the outing of one secret and another, - & another, & another(!), - kept me guessing right to the very end!
Note: This does contain references to, & scenes of self-harm, & suicide, which may be triggering for some. (I will say that I did find the scenes of self-harm in particular, to be quite triggering, for me, personally).
I particularly liked how this plot thickened as more secrets between the women came out, & this just kept me guessing even more, as the plot progressed.

Based on a rating of 1-10, where 10 is the highest, I would give this book a rating of 9 out of 10! Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this. It was a compelling read, from start to finish, with a satisfying ending, & I would deffo highly recommend!