The Getaway by Nicola Martin

The striking cover and great blurb on this book was what originally caught my eye and I'm glad it did, as this was an overall very enjoyable read.

I loved the setting of Keepers island and liked how the author juxtaposed this gorgeous island setting with such evil actions and people. Nicola Martin has lovely descriptive writing which really paints a picture in the reader's mind and draws you into this beautiful, yet deserted and deadly island setting. We first arrive at Keepers Island with Lola, who is running from something bad that happened in her last job in Hong Kong. The readers are left guessing right from the beginning as to whether or not Lola is a good person, and we are left desperately grasping at the small fragments of detail the author drops in throughout to discover what really happened. The underlying plot regarding Nathan, Lola and Allie was not pertinent to the main story, but was an interesting additional storyline that helped keep me gripped throughout.

Nicola Martin is most definitely a master at building suspense/tension in her books, and all the plot twists were unexpected and shocking, which added to my enjoyment when reading this. The small bits of dark humour and tongue-in-cheek moments really helped lighten the otherwise somber, intense atmosphere to the book and was also certainly a nice addition.

I would say that perhaps there are too many characters and, therefore, too many moving parts within this book. I loved Lola's character throughout and, even if she did do some questionable things at times, she was a relatable and raw character. I also enjoyed learning about the staff (Diara, Kip and Fizzy in particular), but the huge amount of background characters that were slotted in was perhaps unnecessary and left things feeling confused. However, perhaps confusing the readers and making the murderer harder to find was the author's intention. Saying that, some of these random characters (mainly the rich, entitled ones) were hilarious and eye-roll worthy; for example the guy who sends Lola on the insane Mcdonalds trip or the couple who needed a plushie unicorn for their engagement, both of which made me giggle out loud.

Unfortunately I did only rate this a 3 out of 5 stars, and that is simply to the fact that, when comparing it with other books from the same genre, it is quite average. I enjoy the writing style, the humour and the deeply layered plot, but there was nothing to set this author, or this book, apart from the rest and that is why I went with an average rating. I will, however, be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future and would definitely recommend you keep an eye out for her, she has all the potential to be a fantastic murder mystery writer!

Thank you to Netgalley and Nicola Martin for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book. The characterisation is great (for a whodunnit) and the pace is fast and action-packed. A really good read with plenty of twists and turns along the way and some really believable drama too.

Don't mind me just living my below deck dream vicariously through The Getaway by Nicola Martin.. (3.5 stars rounded to 4)

Lola has just taken on a new job as the manager of Keeper Island, a private Caribbean paradise where the cocktails are chilled and the guests slightly more high-maintenance than average. After Lola's last job ended in tears – and quite a lot of blood – she came to Keeper to lie low, as well as to provide the gold-star service the resort’s spoiled one-percenters expect. Her only connection to her previous life now is her old mentor and new boss, Mike Moxham. However, unlucky for Lola, Mike is found washed up on the beach less than a day after her arrival and the rules Lola is used to for working with the super-rich very quickly become rules to live by:

Be prepared for anything and trust no one.

I liked this book more than I thought I was going to after the first few chapters. I found it a bit hard to get into due to a lot of characters being introduced at once, but once I was about 30% of the way in and things picked up, I found the story flowed a lot better. This was a fun, light-hearted read (perfect for holidays) with a lot of whodunnit moments to keep you questioning things. As long as you go into it with these expectations, you won't be diasppointed!

Wow! What a read!

Think Below Deck meets Death on the Nile.

Lola has arrived on Keepers Island as she has fled her old life in Hong Kong... but what is she running from?

She soon finds out that this remote Caribbean island is not the paradise she once hoped when she finds a body washed up on the beach. Was it just an accident or a murder that someone on the island is guilty of committing?

Follow Lola as she attempts to uncover the mystery behind the death and learns who she can and can't trust.

I struggled at the beginning of this book to remember all of the many characters and where they fit into the story but about 45% of the way through I was hooked! I couldn't put it down, full of twists, making you second guess everyone on the island... The saying, 'trouble in paradise' comes to mind.

This was fantastic and a book I would love to read again for the first time.

Lola is running from a situation and her friend Mox tells her she will be safe at his new resort in paradise. Safe to say that didn’t last long.

I admit this book is a little hectic, a bit silly and sometimes leaves questions unanswered but those things actually added to how fun it was, while also managing to be sinister, upsetting and thrilling.

I adored this and it would suit anyone who wants to read something fun and clever. It was a beautiful palette cleanser after some very dark thrillers.

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

The Getaway, Nicola Martin
3/5⭐️
352📖

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. Follow Lola after she quickly leaves Hong Kong to start a new life on Keeper Island. But of course, this new life isn’t as peaceful as she’d thought it would be. I was I totally drawn in by the cover, it was very eye catching. I enjoyed this book a lot! You’re lead into the first part of the book wondering why she left Hong Kong, did she commit a crime, is she trying to escape from someone? And then you end up deep in the secrets and twists of the beautiful Keeper Island. There are so many twists in the book, a few I didn’t expect and it definitely kept me gripped! I’d recommend this for sure. A few T/W of murder, abuse, suicide mention and drugs.

A good who dunnit that I enjoyed for the most part. Lots of did-they-or-didn’t they moments.
I did find it a bit boring in the middle

A mystery set on a private luxury Caribbean island featuring a large cast of characters. I liked the setting but the characters were not well written. A light beach read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

The cover and blurb really drew me in initially but when I was reading I found it hard to keep focused especially when new characters were introduced.

A novel that is perfect for a holiday getaway just hope your getaway isn't as scandalous and sinster as Lola's. Okay read but nothing groundbreaking it is very much a fluff piece for the beach. Drags on a bit with a poor plot but it's pure escapism although parts are bit dark there is elements of humour and satire. None of the characters are really likeable and they lack any proper characterisation. I wouldn't hurry to read anything from this author again. Not enough for me

I raced through this book in one sitting. Excellent plot line and delivery. I may have whiplash from the never-ending twists and turns. Read this in one day. I could not put it down. Highly recommend!

Love the cover of the book!
Lola is on her way to an island resort escaping a situation in her previous job which didn't end well..
The job on the island gives Lola the perfect hiding place amongst the super rich guests she has to accommodate.
It is Mike, the resorts manager, who secured Lola the position as they know each other, but when Mike dies shortly after
Lola's focus becomes staying alive!
Good read, great for summer

Lola's last job didn't end well - since there was quite literally blood, sweat, and tears involved. So hiding out on an island resort for the super-wealthy seems to be a good way of keeping her head down.

The problem is, Lola's mentor Mike, who is her only link with the past, dies very soon after she arrives...A minor hitch, surely? Not!

Now, she has to navigate an unfamiliar environment, deal with entitled rich folk, and find a way of staying alive, which is going to involve quite the juggling act.

This was a fun read (with a few too many characters perhaps). But overall, quite enjoyable and with a dash of black humour, too. It gets 3.5 stars.

Unfortunately this book wasn't was I was expecting. Lots of characters to remember made it a little confusing and ultimately led to me having to mark as dnf.

The Getaway tells the story of Lola, who finds a job in Keeper Island in search of a fresh start.

Lola's past isn't exactly perfect, and she may or may not have messes up pretty badly in her old job. When her old mentor Mike gives her the opportunity to work for him on the Caribbean, shedoesn't think twice.

Things are going great for Lola!

Her new home is amazing, the Caribbean is like paradise and she's known Mike for years. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, Mike's now dead... oops!!!

This is the first novel I read by this author -I devoured it!!

The setting was fantastic, the characters were well-written and that last chapter was hef's kiss

I liked The Getaway so much, I googled Nicola Martin and found her blog. Love her dedication to writing and am so happy for her she can write full-time now. I'll be reading Dead Ringer next, and now I can't wait to read her next novel!!

the book starts with an air of mystery as lola arrives in the caribbean and mentions death and the feeling of blood on her hands…. then her friend is found dead on the beach…

when lola continues her new job she can’t help but think people are hiding stuff from her. is it paranoia or is her intuition correct?

even though the book is set in a beautiful, sunny setting. the place has more secrets and darkness that you’d think.

this book is full of page turning moments yet has a sense of wittiness about it. i love the relationships between all the staff members, they really enrich the book.

every character will have you questioning if they are telling the truth …. you feel you can trust no one.

this book is perfect for any time of the year as it’s set in a tropical environment but there’s mentions of a drug deal cover up, murder and lots of other twisted things…

i thoroughly enjoyed this and i would definitely pick up another book by nicola martin.

I really wanted to like this book but it just didn’t hold my attention. It started off good, then the guy died and it went downhill for me. Couldn’t finish it.