Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ), Raven Books + NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before it’s published.

The blurb set this up to be quite the read but I struggled to get into it and was overwhelmed by the number of characters introduced in the first few chapters. I found myself not caring what happened to anyone which never ends well.

This book completely took me by surprise! At first, I wasn’t sure it was going to be my thing, but the further I read, the more hooked I became, largely thanks to the complex character development. Each person's backstory is gradually revealed, and it becomes clear why they ended up on Keepers Island—and more intriguingly, why they’ve stayed.

At first glance, Keepers Island is painted as the perfect getaway for the elite. But beneath the surface, nothing is as idyllic as it seems. Secrets are woven tightly into the fabric of the island and its residents, and Lola, the determined main character, is on a mission to unearth them all. Her relentless pursuit of the truth, the murderer, and the mystery was what kept me invested throughout.

The plot twists kept me on my toes the entire time. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, the narrative took another sharp turn. The care put into creating this island setting, coupled with the gradual revelation of each character’s motivations, made the journey so worthwhile.

What drew me to this book in the first place was the striking cover and intriguing blurb, but I’m glad to say that the story delivered beyond my expectations. Nicola Martin’s vivid descriptions brought the eerie beauty of Keepers Island to life, creating a stunning juxtaposition between the lush, exotic backdrop and the dark, sinister events unfolding. The island, while visually gorgeous, feels isolated and dangerous, a place where evil actions play out against paradise.

The story begins with Lola, a character escaping her own past in Hong Kong, and from the get-go, we’re left wondering whether she’s someone we can truly trust. Martin is brilliant at feeding readers just enough to keep us guessing. Even the subplot involving Nathan, Lola, and Allie, while not central to the main mystery, added a layer of intrigue that kept me glued to the pages.

Martin’s skill at building suspense and tension is undeniable. Every twist felt fresh and surprising, and the dark humor scattered throughout the novel helped to balance the intensity. Those moments of levity, however brief, were a welcome relief amidst the otherwise charged atmosphere.

If I had one critique, it would be the sheer number of characters. While I was invested in Lola and enjoyed the dynamic between some of the staff (Diara, Kip, and Fizzy were standouts for me), the numerous background characters at times felt unnecessary. That said, many of these side characters—particularly the wealthy, entitled guests—added humor and a touch of absurdity!

A twisting story set on an island paradise where nothing and no one is what it seems. This was a twisting and complex story where none of the characters particularly cover themselves in glory and everyone has something to hide. A beautiful setting, some light relief in terms of the rich, entitled guests and a series of murders that kept me intrigued to the end.

Nicole Martin's The Getaway was surprisingly adapt. Set in the caribbean on the eerie Keepers Island, this thriller was quite dark and tonally less kooky than the cover art.

Starting more or less from the death of the manager of the hotel, we have a frenzied story that has an open-ended conclusion for further in the series.

Thanks, Nicola Martin and Goodreads for giving me an advanced copy of the book.

3.5 stars. You know how we all suspect that we know what super-rich people get up to and how depraved they can be...this book shows you that they are always much worse than we could ever imagine!
The idyllic setting of a private island where your every whim is catered to and your comfort is the ultimate goal is contrasted with the living quarters and hectic lives of those unseen people that make it all run smoothly. It is to this ragtag group of nomads that Lola runs when she needs to disappear from her life...only to realise that she is running from one awful situation to another.
The world of the very-moneyed gives Nicola Martin lots of scope to offer up potential murderers only for them to turn out to just be entitled and awful, leaving the reader thinking they've solved the mystery time and time again but having to double-back and start looking at the clues once more. The writing of the vast cast of characters is great, they are juggled expertly and really help you to imagine the island in more detail - it opens up like a map in your head. I could absolutely smell the ocean and feel the oppressive heat, whilst thinking about wiping the sand off my feet.
The imagination on display in the nefarious doings of the island inhabitants and the twists of the story are testament to Nicola Martin's skill...and maybe also hint at a darker side to her!
All in all, this was a fun read that brought some sunshine and escapism to October.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, thrillers are my favourite genre. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. A real shame as the setting was idyllic and the write-up and front cover made it look really interesting, I wasn't at all invested in it, I found it too slow, the plot lacking and uninteresting.

I will be honest and say that I didn’t really enjoy this book.
I love the idea of an idyllic private island where luxury is expected and money is no object, however I just didn’t get that feeling with this book. It was either too hot, too muggy, too many midges, too much rain and mud and far too many conspiracy theories!
No one was happy, except Reggie, there were arguments, mistrust, sadness, anger and resentment.
Utopia isn’t everything that it seems!

I enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away. A little darker than the cartoon-like cover implies, and violent in places. Interesting enough to keep me reading to the end though and plenty of twists and turns along the way.

I loved the setting of Keepers Island and how Nicola Martin contrasts its beauty with the sinister actions of the characters. Her vivid, descriptive writing pulls you into the eerie isolation of the island. From the start, suspense builds as we follow Lola, who is escaping a mysterious incident in Hong Kong. Readers are left questioning her intentions while uncovering small, intriguing clues. Although the subplot involving Nathan, Lola, and Allie added some interest, it didn’t feel essential to the main storyline.

Martin excels at creating tension with unexpected plot twists, and the occasional dark humor helps break the otherwise intense tone. However, the large number of background characters made the plot feel a bit crowded at times. Despite this, some of the eccentric, entitled characters were amusing and memorable.

While I enjoyed the suspense and writing style, I rated the book 3 out of 5 stars. It felt solid but didn’t stand out compared to others in the genre. Nonetheless, Nicola Martin has great potential, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next

This is a murder mystery set on an idyllic carribean island for the rich and famous.
I thought it started off well with plenty of intrigue about what Lola had run away from and who the mysterious Moxham was.
Unfortunately for me, it wasn't gritty or realistic enough - I found the characters clichéd and unlikeable and the pace too slow. It was also hard to keep track of who was who- a lot of characters were introduced in a fairly short amount of time and oftern only referred to again by their first name.
Overall its a fairly undemanding beach/holiday read but not for me.

✨3 stars✨

I enjoyed this murder mystery set on a secluded island in the Caribbean - I really like the setting!!

However, I found the majority of the book to be slow-paced and struggled to keep up with all the characters introduced because they all seemed to blend together. And then when the reveals did happen at the end, I found them to be a bit lacklustre and unsatisfying because I didn’t believe any on the individual characters’ motives.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this. The Getaway is a fun murder mystery that I really enjoyed. There’s a great cast of characters. I hope there’s a follow up.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 • 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻
★★★.𝟱

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
- Mystery/thriller
- Isolated island
- Explores wealth
- Unlikable characters

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Lola accepts a new job as manager on an isolated island full of morally grey characters with more money than sense. The luxury resort they’re staying at promises discretion, entertainment, and grandeur. What’s never mentioned is the untimely death of the old manager, the strange death of the luxury owners wife, and the reason why there are cameras in the guests rooms.

This was a perfectly good mystery that seemed to blur the lines between right and wrong. Who needs principles when you’re loaded anyway? But Lola likes to think that she will do the right thing. She was an interesting character but a bit frustrating with her immediate assumptions and reckless action. Her intensity could be off putting but overall, this was a well thought out story.

A Thrilling Tropical Escape Meets Murder Mystery

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this incredible novel.

The cover initially caught my eye, and I’m so glad it did. Set on a lush, idyllic island in the Caribbean, the story is far from a simple tropical escape. From the very first page, it had the feel of a classic Cluedo game, with tension steadily building as each character was introduced.

The author does an excellent job of creating fully realised, intriguing characters that keep you on edge, constantly guessing who might be the culprit. It’s rare to find a mystery so interactive and immersive, and I was completely engrossed from start to finish.

On a personal note, I wasn’t a fan of the single quotation marks (‘ ’) for dialogue, preferring double ones (“ ”), but that’s just a matter of personal preference and doesn’t detract from the strength of the writing.

Overall, this is a fantastic read with great pacing and character development. If you enjoy a good mystery, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up when it’s released!

Lola works in high end hospitality but when things go wrong in Hong Kong she is offered a job and moves to join her ex boss on the private Keeper Island in paradise. Nobody can be trusted, so will trouble follow Lola?!
This is a good read and quite fun, I loved how the plot developed and although I did guess the ending it did not ruin it for me. The epilogue leaves room for a further instalment, so I look forward to this. The cover attracted me to this book, the pace was steady and the characters were interesting, so overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC Copy

I really loved this book, it had me hooked right from the start and all the twists and turns kept me engaged right through to the end. I finished it in under a day it was that good! The reveals were really good and the epilogue took me totally by surprise so I’m excited with the thought we might get a second book!!

I loved this book. So so gripping. All the characters were amazing. I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book!

Initially, the story unfolds at a leisurely pace, mirroring the laid-back beach atmosphere. However, as details about the characters and their tangled pasts start to emerge, the intrigue deepens. Lola is a compelling protagonist, and while it takes a little time to truly get into the story, her determination and cautious curiosity keep you invested. The resort guests are fascinatingly shifty, each one with their own hidden agenda and layers that gradually peel away, adding to the tension.

While it’s not a breakneck thriller, The Getaway offers a steady build-up that suits its sun-soaked, sinister setting. Nicola Martin has crafted a slow-burn mystery that draws you in with its air of danger lurking beneath paradise’s surface. If you enjoy a more measured pace with rich characterisation and a generous dose of suspense, this one’s perfect for a leisurely read on the beach—or when you just wish you were on one!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy this book more. The premise and cover art looked interesting and I was eager to get stuck in but unfortunately I think this was just too slow to be a thriller. I didn’t care for any of the characters and whilst the vivid description of Keeper Island and surrounding areas were a nice bit of escapism, I think the rest of the scene setting and character development was lacking.

It’s a shame because this had potential to be a great beach read whodunnit type of story, but by the end you’re just desperate to find out who it is because the lead up has been excruciatingly drawn out.

An absolute thrill ride of a beachy novel. Why is Lola suddenly in 'paradise' seemingly after blowing up her life in Asia? On Keeper Island, the staff and the one percenters on their idllyic getaways don't want to hear Lola's theories of foul play when their beloved manager seemingly drowns in a jet ski accident.
Why is her new roommate so secretive and is the handsome Brady from Wall Street exactly what he seems?

A pacy thriller for those who also enjoy a little sunshine with their murders.