The blurb for this book grabbed my attention. The book is an enjoyable read-a murder mystery. The story follows Lola who suddenly leaves her job in Hong Kong to a remote island. Lola works in the hotel business and her friend gets her this new job in paradise… Within hours of her arriving her friend dies in an accident… Lola tries to figure out what happened to her friend while trying to find her feet in a new place and job. There are many subplots regarding her family life and love life.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.

*SPOILER FREE* I absolutely LOVED this book. It totally gripped me very early on. I would describe it as 'White Lotus' (tv show) and 'Glass Onion' (movie) had a baby. I didn't see the ending coming, like I couldn't guess it. Weirdly this book made me want to book a holiday, which I did! But I loved this book and it was super fast paced. I also found it super easy to visualize everything including the characters due to the perfectly descriptive writing. My official rating is 4.5 stars.

2.5-3/ 5

I loved the idea for the story. A woman running of to the island. Not knowing more trouble awaits her there. Murder mystery that felt a bit like modern Christy. I was promised complete web of secrtes and it was delivered - so well though that I was left a bit confused throughout the book. The book was also slow despite a lot happening in it and it took me 3 weeks to read it.

I really did like the 'who done it?!' element of this book. It did keep me guessing. Lola's background and history in Singapore did add a really interesting element into the book, as Lola was dealing with the mystery on this amazing Caribbean Island she was also dealing with the turmoil and emotions related to Singapore. They layering of these obscenely rich characters who come to the island to live in a bubble was another component that kept me engaged, the way Kitt worked to protect his bubble and the island being self-governing in a way was super creative.
I do feel that I was unable to become invested in each characters story fully, possibly due to the amount of characters introduced. I also feel that the ending left me unsatisfied, but that is 100% down to personal preference.

I think if you are looking for a fun 'Who done it?' then this book can defo be one for you!

"The Getaway" by Nicola Martin was a wild ride! Set against the backdrop of the stunning Keeper Island—a private Caribbean paradise—this book had everything I didn’t know I needed in a summer read: intrigue, a dash of dark humour, and a plot that kept me on my toes.
Lola, the new manager of the island resort, initially seems like she’s just trying to escape the chaos of her past job in Hong Kong, which ended in a dramatic—if not bloody—fiasco. As she arrived, ready to provide the high-end service expected by the one-percenters vacationing there, I found myself rooting for her from the start. But chaos erupts almost immediately when her new boss, Mike Moxham, is found dead on the beach within a day of her arrival. Yikes! Talk about a welcome party gone wrong.
What I loved most about the narrative was how it balanced the serene beauty of the island with the sinister undertones of a murder mystery. At first, I found myself a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters introduced early on, but as I pressed deeper into the story, their motivations and quirks began to emerge, making them more distinct and engaging. By the end, I recognized that the wide cast of characters was essential for creating a breadth of intriguing suspects.
The pacing did take a little while to ramp up; the first half felt somewhat slow in comparison to the gripping intensity that followed. However, once I hit about the halfway point, the story took off with a flurry of twists and revelations that truly showcased Martin’s talent for building suspense. There were enough whodunnit moments to keep me guessing, and I found that the second half was hard to put down.
I did notice the writing sometimes felt a bit choppy, but these moments were minor compared to the overall engagement of the story. The author’s descriptive writing allowed me to vividly imagine the picturesque setting while contrasting it with the darker elements simmering beneath the surface. The absurdities of some of the rich guests, like the man insisting on a McDonald’s run or the couple requesting a plush unicorn for their engagement, added a layer of humorous distraction from the suspense, which made me chuckle out loud—just the right touch to lighten the mood!
Lola herself was a fantastic protagonist, and even though she made questionable decisions, I found her relatable and raw. I enjoyed learning about her relationships with the resort staff, particularly Diara, Kip, and Fizzy. However, I felt there might have been too many background characters; some of them felt a bit superfluous to the main plot. Yet, perhaps that was part of the strategy to keep us guessing about the killer’s identity.
Overall, while it may not have stood out as a groundbreaking thriller compared to others in the genre, the combination of humour, layered storytelling, and a captivating setting made it a fun, light-hearted read perfect for any vacation or lazy afternoon.

I got to 65% of this book and have given up. I couldn’t get into it at all but not sure why. I didn’t feel I really cared what happened to the main character and why…disappointed as I was looking forward to reading this.

Thanks Bloomsbury and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Firstly this book good, it had a great plot and lots of twists to keep you engaged, however I felt there were too many characters introduced in a short amount of time I found myself having to go back and double check who was who
it was slow paced until the last 100 pages that's when things really picked up and started to get really good!

I really enjoyed The Getaway by Nicola Martin! One of my favourite thriller settings is on an island so I was super excited for this one. A lot of twists that kept me guessing the entire time. I found this a perfect summer read.

Settle back with a cocktail and get ready to enjoy this escapist thriller… Lola is escaping from violence in her past and at first seems to land on her feet in a jammy hotel job on Keeper Island in the British Virgin Islands… but soon there’s a death and danger all around, not least from toxic super rich guests who are being blackmailed, as well as the people she works with... With lots of twists and turns and fab characters, The Getaway is a fun holiday read.

Really fun and an ideal summer thriller, compelling, well-written and amusing. What more could you ask for!

A well executed novel. It is tight with twists and turns on every page. Even the epilogue delivered a nice twist. Could there be room for an sequel perhaps. The plot begins with Lola london escaping from Hong Kong to Keeper Island, a luxury five star resort for the rich and famous. Her previous boss and partner in crime has offered her sanctuary from her murderous boyfriend Nathan and her job as manager at a hotel. Their history involves shake downs of their guests at the hotel. Moxham, her ex boss greets her at the themed party "Alice in Wonderland" and in his drunken state warns her against trusting anyone on the island. Not surprisingly the following morning he winds up dead and the owner of the island, the billionaire Kip Clements declares it an accident. It seems that everything untoward at the resort is treated as an accident, including the death of his wife Meredith by drowning.
As Lola attempts to find out the truth surrounding his murder/accident on a jet ski we learn that he has continued as a scam artist videoing people and blackmailing them afterwards. The second death after another themed "gold" party signals that Moxham was not working alone and that that murderer is after his accomplice. There are no shortages of suspects including the staff and guests and it soon becomes evident that Lola can not trust anyone.
There are some really interesting insights into the behind the scenes of managing a luxury resort as we see the whining guests and impossible demands forced upon the staff. Martin has a brilliant style in her construction of the most unsavoury characters. Some of which bare a striking resemblance to tourists we have all met before on holiday.
Very enjoyable read and one I recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

At first, keepers island seems like paradise, a haven away from reality, but you soon find out everything and everyone is not as it seems.
This book was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing from start to finish. The perfect summer mystery to read with a cocktail

As Lola swiftly departs Hong Kong in order to establish herself as a new person on Keeper Island. Nevertheless, she had not anticipated that her new life would be as tranquil as it is. The cover caught my attention immediately and drew me in completely. This book was really fun to read! Wondering why she left Hong Kong, if she had committed a crime, or if she was fleeing someone, you're left wondering throughout the book. The stunning island of Keeper awaits you once you're lost in its mysteries and turns. I found the book to be rather captivating as it had a lot of unexpected turns and twists. I would recommend this book. .

What a fabulous, easy-reading book!

Thank you Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Throughout this book there is so much character development. The development was deep and continuous and at no point did I feel that it was too much or not enough.

We are introduced to the island, this island is full of mysteries and secrets, much like the people on it. The character development reveals to us what is keeping the people chained to this island, Lola is determined to uncover the dark secrets, a murder and the mystery surrounding it. She was a brilliant character! It kept me going and I couldn’t always see the twists and turns before they happened - a sign of an excellent writer!

I really enjoyed this. The pacing was good. The plot was really good if a little far fetched in some places. Overall a very enjoyable read

Would highly recommend 😀

This was a fun read that had me on the edge of my seat, i really enjoyed the writing style and was instantly hooked from page 1. Will definitely be buying anything this author publishes next.

A perfect summer read, can definitely imagine reading this on a beach somewhere, given the island setting of the book. I found it really enjoyable, the pace picking up in the second half of the book though I was intrigued from the very first page, which spurred me on to keep reading to find out what happened. Loved the twists and turns, even if they were a little predictable but it didn’t negate from the enjoyment of reading the book. Thank you so much for the arc!

This novel has a great tropical island setting so I would highly recommend picking this one up as a summer read.

The characters were well written and believable. At first I found it a little confusing because we were introduced to quite a few characters early on, however as the story progressed this became easier. It also makes sense for there to be a large cast as this is a murder mystery where there needs to be an array of suspects. The number of suspects was spot on, just the right amount.

I enjoyed the plot and found that it wrapped up really well. My only criticism is I found it started off a bit slow but the second half of this book more than made up for this. The writing started to take on a faster pace once you hit the 50% mark which reflects really well the increase in the intensity of the murder investigation.

Occasionally the writing felt a bit choppy but that's a minor critique on an otherwise very well written and engaging story. Would highly recommend for a summer read or a thriller for the autumn season.

This is definitely a YA book just for YA readers. A mystery thriller that’s easy to follow. As an adult it was a quick, easy, forgettable read. Someone new to the genre would love it though.

Unfortunately this just didn't grip me enough to keep reading. I feel bad not finishing because I know how much hard work has gone into writing and publishing the book, but there were so many characters I couldn't keep focused on what everyone was doing. I found myself putting the book down and not feeling compelled to keep reading. I hope the book is a success, it just wasn't the right fit for me.