People Pleaser by Catriona Stewart is a thrilling mystery that takes a close look at the dark side of fame. The story starts with Maggie Lathrop, the popular winner of a dating show called LoveShack. Her life seems perfect until she's found murdered in an LA warehouse. Her sister Emma tries to uncover the truth behind Maggie's death, leading readers through a journey that exposes the complexities of Maggie's seemingly perfect life.

The characters are interesting and complex. Maggie is both charming and tragic as we see her rise to fame in flashback chapters. These parts are filled with dramatic irony since Maggie unknowingly contributes to her tragic fate. Emma is a determined protagonist dealing with grief and the shocking secrets about her sister. Other characters like Jill, Emma’s roommate, and Amanda, the show creator, add depth and bring their own motives to the plot. Some characters are unlikable, but they help highlight the toxic side of fame and social media.

One of the book's biggest strengths is its deep themes. Stewart examines how fame, reality TV, and social media can harm personal identity. Maggie's role as a “people pleaser” is relevant in today’s society, where appearances and social media validation matter so much. The book also touches on other important issues like misogyny, Hollywood exploitation, and the emotional toll of keeping up a public image.

Stewart’s writing style is sharp and engaging, switching smoothly between multiple perspectives to build suspense. The story moves between Maggie’s life before her death and Emma’s investigation afterward, creating a dynamic narrative that keeps readers engaged. The tone balances mystery with emotional depth, showing both the glamour and darkness of Maggie’s world. Some twists may be predictable for experienced mystery readers, but the overall impact remains strong.

The setting is vivid and immersive, taking readers into the glamorous yet empty world of LA celebrity culture. Stewart creates a stark contrast between perfect appearances and hidden despair, which enhances the emotional weight of the story.

Some minor drawbacks include underdeveloped subplots and a resolution that may leave some readers wanting more justice for Maggie. However, these don't take away from the book's many strengths.

What makes People Pleaser stand out is its blend of a gripping mystery with insightful social commentary. Stewart not only delivers an exciting story but also makes readers think about how fame can distort reality and relationships. This debut novel is an unforgettable read for fans of contemporary thrillers, especially those interested in the impact of reality TV.

3.5/5

The style, tone & pace of this book were good, as was the plot idea & description of characters but unfortunately it felt like nothing happened for most of the book - it was too slow & became repetitive.
It was obvious part way through 'whodunit' & by the time it got to that part I found I didn't care. Certain aspects were too laboured & the 'happy ever after' ending felt like a rushed afterthought with no care put into it.

"People Pleaser" by Catriona Stewart is an engaging novel that takes readers on a journey through the fascinating world of reality television and social media influencing.

The novel begins with the shocking murder of Maggie, a well loved figure in the reality TV and social media world. Emma, Maggie's sister, is devastated by the loss but determined to find justice after the police close the case after a few months, without finding the murderer.

Told in 2 timelines and several POVs the reader discovers the contrived nature of reality television and the sinister side of social media influencing, where appearances can be deceiving and totally untrue.

Emma is a relatable and resilient and is determined to uncover the truth.

Maggie's character, though deceased, plays a significant role in the story. Through flashbacks and Emma's investigation, we get glimpses of Maggie's life, her struggles, and the pressures she faced as a public figure, and the reason she went onto the Loveshack show.

For me one of the novel's most striking aspects is its exploration of the artificiality of reality television. The author tries to expose how much of what viewers see is orchestrated and manipulated for entertainment. This theme resonates throughout the book, prompting readers to question the authenticity of the media they consume.

The novel portrays a world where influencers must maintain perfect facades, often at great personal cost. The pressure to keep up appearances can lead to dangerous situations, as evidenced by Maggie's fate.

The twists were not too hard to see but overall a very enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this addition to the murder mystery contemporary genre, the mix of reality tv with the mystery created an additional layer to the narrative. I was intrigued to see where the story would go and was not disappointed, although the pace was slow to start with, once it picked up I found myself desperate to keep reading. With engaging characters this was a really good read.

🕶️ People pleaser - Catriona Stewart 🕶️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Release date - 22nd May 2025

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this one.

Blurb - When Kansas sweetheart Maggie Lathrop is crowned the winner of America’s most popular dating show, her life is transformed overnight.

Suddenly, Maggie has it all: a gorgeous husband, an immaculate Los Angeles mansion, and an entourage of glamorous friends.

Despite picture-perfect appearances, the world Maggie has created is shattered after she’s found murdered in a desolate warehouse.

As her sister, Emma, attempts to uncover the truth about Maggie’s life, a deadlier side to Hollywood is revealed.

My thoughts 💭- I found this a good book, I was gripped it had a good pace and a good story line and was a real page turner. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view it made me want to continue reading and it kept me guessing until the end. What I will say though for me there were to many characters and storylines going on along side the main so I was a little confused at points 😂 however I would still recommend this one as I rated 4* and I am keen to read more from the author.

A really good and well written story but there was too many sideline stories going on along with it that in my opinion didn't add anything to it. Did we really need the Trevor segway? Or half of the Amanda story? Probably not because it added nothing to it, she could've been left with being Jill's influential boss. Emma our MFC was infuriating at times, yes her sister was brutally murdered so she's allowed to be selfish at times but I wanted to jump into the book and shake the girl by her shoulders. But all in all a pleasant read but if you pay close attention, you can figure out who murdered Maggie.

I couldn’t put this down!!! There were lots of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and the reveal of whodunnit at the end was very satisfying. Loved how Maggie’s chapters showed the darker side of fame and reality tv, along with the commentary on how social media can change who we are and take over our lives. Overall a very interesting take on the murder mystery genre!

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

Not to judge a book by its cover or anything but this one? LOVE. Is ABSOLUTELY the sort of thing I’d instinctively reach for in a book shop.
I really loved the idea behind this book and thought that basing it around a reality dating TV show was a really fun and unique idea, one I’ve not come across before. I particularly loved Maggies chapters and how they showed a more sordid and less glamorous side and this definitely gave the book some extra grit.
There were maybe too many characters for me, some felt a bit unnecessary and it got a bit complicated along the way. That being said, the dynamics between some of the characters were really clever and I enjoyed how the story developed as a result.

Solid book that was paced well. The characters were not the most lovable but the dual timeline kept things interesting. 3.5 stars and I would recommend this book to lovers of reality tv. Kept me guessing until the end, perhaps wrapped up a tad too neatly and a bit rushed but overall a good story

This was such a fun read and I loved the combination of thriller and romance! Will definitely keep an eye out for future books by Catriona. Love the green cover too, very brat!

People Pleaser shines a light on the darker side of influencer and celebrity life, and the world of reality TV.

Maggie, an influencer who becomes an overnight success after being on a TV dating show called Love Shack, is tragically found dead. Her sister Emma, along with some help, takes it upon herself to find out what happened to Maggie. The story is told from different perspectives, including flashbacks from Maggie.

I had thought the book would have a bit of a faster pace for a murder mystery, but it was interesting to read something that weaved in the darker side of fame.

With thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone for the ARC.

A brilliantly written whodunit murder mystery. The plot opens, as Maggie Lathrop lies dying. She is America’s A list influencer having won a reality dating show where contestants are put together by the audience.

Maggie’s sister Emma is naturally distraught and decides to investigate her sister’s murder when the police decide to classify it as a cold case. As she searches the multimillion-dollar mansion she shared with her husband Theo, we are treated to the ugly side of reality shows and fame where everything is not as it seems, including the sets.

Emma’s friends Jill and Amanda carry the story as Amanda is looking for her ex writing partner who has disappeared and Jill who plays the long-suffering sidekick. The different perspectives keep you hooked and it’s refreshing to hear the voice of Maggie as she navigates fame and fortune and the price, she ultimately pays.

This is a real page-turner that spans three years. If you’re a fan of Love Island or other reality shows, then this is a book for you. I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

What a way to enter the literary world kicking and screaming. Stewart’s Debut novels offers a defiant, dark thriller with wickedly clever undertones and sharp social commentary about power, fame, the court of public opinion and influencer culture. And damn, talk about an opening line.

Maggie was an intriguing character - there’s something deeply unsettling about knowing one of your main narrators is setting the stage for our death, showing us the past, behind the scenes in ‘reality tv’, her life leading up to the end. The dramatic irony almost painful at times. What’s worse is, we love her, and watch as she loses her personality that we’ve come to care for, her thoughts full of reality TV, PR boxes and likes. I thought I hated this for a moment, furious she became a vaguely sexist stereotype but in a way this was also genius, because Maggie herself lost her way in the pursuit of fame.

But her end is the start of the story for our other characters. She shares narration duties with her sister’s Emma, Emma’s best friend Jill, and Jill’s tv mogul boss, Amanda. Mingling their lives in the months after Maggies death, navigating grief and the investigation, it starts slowly before kicking it up a notch and bringing the intensity. Each of them bringing a slightly different view to the tragedies, the chaos and the optics of the entire situation and their lives slowly start to click together as we see the ties between them explained and watch them all get drawn into an investigation- three women, their lives affected by one horrific event in such different ways. Did the ending feel a little obvious? I guessed the answers, and everything ended a little quietly but the journey there was so much fun.

"I still have this suspicion that everyone hates me. Which I know is paranoid. Except maybe it's not paranoid?"

A nervous energy lingered throughout this story, the cold inevitability of watching Maggie so full of life while parallel we watch three new companions desperately try to solve her murder as everything starts to distort and every turn just hints at something dark being around the corner.

The way this book tried to process and delve into modern influencer culture was brilliant. The dreadful juxtaposition of brutal murder and people worried about their PR offering an atmosphere that made me want to uncomfortably laugh at its absurdity and hiding their own sexuality, wants, feelings in exchange for likes. The loss of personality, the monetisation of every aspect of your life, the pretending and consuming and how easy it can be to be consumed yourself by the pressure cooker of modern media — it definitely made you think about the strange phenomenon of fame for fames sake and how we consume media.

I think we’ll be seeing much more of Catriona Stewart in the future.

A really interesting premise - a reality star/influencer is murdered and her sister tries to uncover the truth. However this book really dragged at times and I didn’t understand why we needed Jill and Amanda’s point of view (especially Amanda) since neither really added anything to the main crime. The culprit was also easy to spot fairly quickly too with a resolution that seemed sudden and rushed, there was no real tension.

There’s some real insightful commentary and sharp writing about reality shows and women being people pleasers, but everything felt a bit rushed or just superficially touched upon. Even the Maggie chapters were wasted, while we got to see a bit of why she made the decisions she did in the show, post-show her 180 was rushed. I think for me more present day Emma with post show Maggie was needed.

Overall an enjoyable crime that is a fresh concept, but not one I’d read again but I would try this author’s next book.

Thanks to Random House UK/Cornerstone and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed most of this, loving the reality tv aspect. I never anticipated the ending or many of the twists through out.

I really, really loved this. A very modern and dark tale of love, influencers, the underbelly of Hollywood, #metoo, and romance shows. I love all aspects of that and this book did not disappoint.

I found the way this story was told really interesting, seeing how the "show" played out from Maggie's perspective, so we discover things at a similar pace as Emma does. I sort of guessed "whodunnit" but it still was a shock when it was revealed. I can't wait to read more from Stewart. Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this book, i'll be recommending it!

The blurb:

When Kansas sweetheart Maggie Lathrop is crowned the winner of America’s most popular dating show, her life is transformed overnight. Suddenly, Maggie has it all: a gorgeous husband, an immaculate Los Angeles mansion, and an entourage of glamorous friends. Despite picture-perfect appearances, the world Maggie has created is shattered after she’s found murdered in a desolate warehouse. As her sister, Emma, attempts to uncover the truth about Maggie’s life, a deadlier side to Hollywood is revealed. Because being beautiful can have the ugliest consequences. . .

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this murder-mystery style crime thriller. The story is told through several pov, and goes back and forth between now and prior to Maggie’s murder.

I enjoyed the character’s- finding out more about each as the story evolved. I had several suspicions about who might have done it throughout the book.

I love the title and the idea around Maggie’s lifestyle and career and how this was could’ve been linked to her murder.

A really interesting concept. Really well written 4⭐️ from me. I am interested to read more from this author. Thank you again Catriona Stewart and Random House Uk, Cornerstone for the advanced copy.

I LOVE reality tv so was excited by this combined with a murder mystery and this book did not disappoint. I guessed the big reveal early on but still found it satisfied and this meant that it was well set up throughout the book rather than rushed at the end.

I found myself wanting to keep reading this book. I just needed to know what happened. Enough information was told to keep you interested but not enough for you to guess.

It was a good book, not my favourite but it was well written. I enjoyed the multiple POVs. Emma was a little irritating as a character. Amanda’s POV was a little random and I thought her link to the other characters was a little weak.

I will say I was shocked at the end at the big reveal. I didn’t guess it at all.

I would recommend this book.

I liked the premise of this novel, a mystery exploring the dark side of Hollywood. However, I am not a fan of reality television and could not engage with the narrative.