There are very few guarantees in life, but one is that if Sarah Bonner writes a book, I'm going to read it. Slick, sun-soaked and scandalous, How to Slay on Holiday is an unmissable wild ride.

This book is an example of a GREAT concept with so-so execution. Chloe’s husband Scott is the worst, so naturally she has arranged to have him ~taken care of~ (they’re rich and fancy so gotta speak the lingo okay?). To ensure no one suspects her involvement in his death, she has arranged a family holiday in Mykonos for the week before, with plans to put on a “I’m so in love” show to throw everyone off the scent the week before everything is scheduled to take place. The only problem is that Scott gets killed early, while still on holiday, and Chloe is a prime suspect.

This book features a cast of hateable characters, fun descriptions of ~rich people things~, and minor twists that can be spotted from a mile away. Despite it being thoroughly predictable I still enjoyed it - 2.75* rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC!

I thought this book was really funny. It's a relatable book nowadays with scandals and marriage. I really liked the effot and writitng style the author put behind the book.

Whoa what a wild ride! So much intrigue in this twisty plot. Did not see the end coming until the last page. Fabulous. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Chloe has arranged a vacation for her entire family at an exclusive Greek resort. It isn't for relaxation or bonding, however. Instead, it's to create the lasting impression that she and her husband Scott were madly in love. That's what she needs everyone to believe because she has planned for Scott to be murdered when they return home. Chloe and Scott come from two different but powerful crime families. Chloe has brought along her parents as well as Scott's parents and their siblings with their significant others. No one really likes or trusts anyone else. At least the concierge, Grace, who is on site at the resort, is helpful, since she works for the company Chloe has hired to eliminate Scott. This comes in handy when there is an unexpected death that needs to be cleaned up and made to go away so that Chloe's careful plan doesn't get exposed.

The story was told from the points of view of Chloe, Scott's sister Tori, and Grace. It was interesting to get the various points of view and to see the secrets each woman was hiding from the others. It was also fun to try to work out who was responsible for the death, since they each assumed it was one of the others. It was hard at times to keep everyone straight, as there were plenty of siblings and in-laws running around. I enjoyed the twists and turns and was surprised by the final reveal of who was really pulling the strings in the background.

You’d kill for a holiday like this one…
Chloe has spent months planning the murder of her husband, Scott. Everything is ready, but first she must create the perfect alibi to avoid any suggestion of her involvement in his death. And what better way to avoid suspicion than playing the loved-up wife on an extravagant holiday with their extended families?! Great read! I definitely enjoyed reading this one! It had great suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery, action, fantastic characters, funny and some wild twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This was the last book of the year I read and ABSOLUTELY loved it. it got me out of my reading slump, loved the concept and who couldn't relate lol
Full of twists and loved the whole location setting too.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This is worth a look, while I enjoyed the fast-paced narrative of this story and the writing style, there was a lot left unresolved but it was a fun read and well worth reading to see what happens !

A fun read! Yes there is murder but with crazy twists.
Love this author and cannot wait for more.
(Loved the small reference to Sweet Pea.)
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I devoured this book in less than 8 hours! This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely be looking into more of her works now. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and that epilogue was a surprise to me!

I enjoyed the fast-paced narrative of this story and the writing style. I did find I still had several questions at the end that I would have preferred answered.

This was a twisty thriller that kept you engaged from start to finish! The writing was fast-paced and suspenseful. I was left with a few questions that I would have liked to have seen explored but, nothing that detracted from the overall story.

The plot is what attracted me to this book, the idea was so clever and interesting to read about. I was excited to see how Bonner would go about it. The world building and imagery within the book was something I couldn’t fault. The pacing of the story was well done as I managed to finish the book in under 2 days, which is what I love about psychological thrillers. The tension throughout the book was what kept me reading.

While I was excited about the plot of the story, halfway through the book it started to feel disjointed. The repetitiveness of the internal monologues and referring to the reader grew tiresome. I wished there was more in depth characterization especially with Chloe’s character. It felt like there was too much added to the story but not enough depth/explanation for everything. I wished we learnt more about Grace, Tori and the rest of the Cooper/Wilson families. For me, there were a lot of unanswered questions that could have been addressed and the ending threw me off completely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book.
It was fun, wit, crazy, relatable. I loved the writing style, which reminded me a lot of “How to kill your family” by Bella Mackie, one of my favourite books. I loved the main character, the honesty, how raw and relatable she was. I loved how the characters around her were, apparently, idiots, but how they turned out to be not.
This was a very nice novel, that I enjoyed and went through in one sitting, and I am looking forward to read everything by this author!

If you are in the mood for a fun read, check out How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner. It was an amazing good time!

Chloe Cooper, has a marital dilemma: she's spent months meticulously planning the murder of her husband, Scott. To pull it off without suspicion—after all, they're supposed to be madly in love—she devises the perfect alibi: a week-long family getaway to Greece. What could go wrong?
The book's pacing is quick, with tension simmering beneath Chloe's fraught interactions with Scott, her overly curious sister-in-law Tori, and the enigmatic villa concierge, Grace. Initially, I was hooked, but as the story unfolded, I found myself lost in the labyrinth of plot twists and developments.
While the premise offers the promise of a deliciously dark tale, the execution fell flat for me as the story progressed. The secondary characters bring intriguing dynamics to the table but lack the depth to fully engage. I picked up this book ready to root for Chloe and her sinister plan, but the narrative didn't deliver the thrill I'd expected based on its description and cover.
The twist, while undeniably surprising, felt like it came out of nowhere. In hindsight, I can see the breadcrumbs leading to it, but the ending didn’t feel earned or satisfying. It left me wanting more cohesion and payoff from such an intriguing setup.

Thanks NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 27 feb 25

Thanks NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this humorous mystery/suspense novel. It almost reminded me of a book version of WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S. There are quite a few characters and points of view in this book, so you need to keep track of everything and how everyone relates. That said, this was a hard book to put down and I did not guess that ending. Definitely a fun read. Check it out when it’s published at the end of February.

2.75/5 rounded up.

I'm so sorry, this had such a great premise but such a lackluster execution for me. It just could not keep my attention. And I don't think I can quite put my finger on why. I think maybe it was the slow start mixed with the writing style?? There also wasn't much characterization, in my opinion. But I feel like there was more to my inability to get invested in this book.

This book follows our main character as she takes a trip to a luxury resort in Greece. But she has been planning her husband's murder for months now. And as you can imagine, that's a bit chaotic and insane. And quite the premise for a story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner offers an intriguing blend of sun-soaked luxury, dark humor, and domestic drama, set against the picturesque backdrop of Mykonos. The novel follows Chloe Cooper, heiress to a morally murky family empire, as she hatches a meticulously calculated plan to murder her cheating husband, Scott, while crafting the perfect alibi during a family getaway. What unfolds is a twist-laden narrative where nothing—and no one—is quite what it seems.

The premise is undeniably gripping, and Bonner’s vivid descriptions of the Greek villa, mouthwatering cuisine, and glittering coastline instantly immerse the reader in Chloe’s seemingly idyllic vacation-turned-crime scene. The book’s pacing is brisk, with tension bubbling under the surface of Chloe’s strained interactions with Scott, her suspicious sister-in-law Tori, and the mysterious villa concierge, Grace.

However, while the setup promises a deliciously dark romp, the execution leaves room for improvement. Chloe’s characterization wavers throughout the novel, making it difficult to connect with her motives or sympathize with her plight. She alternates between a cunning, relatable protagonist and a shallow, bratty figure whose final decisions feel inconsistent with the groundwork laid earlier in the story.

The supporting cast—Tori, Grace, and even Scott—offer interesting dynamics but lack the depth needed to fully engage the reader. Grace, in particular, had the potential to be a standout character, but her juvenile dialogue and underexplored backstory undermined her enigmatic presence. Similarly, Tori’s suspicions of Chloe’s plan are introduced but never fully explained, leaving a loose thread in an otherwise tightly plotted mystery.

Pop culture references peppered throughout the dialogue add a layer of humor and relatability but occasionally feel overused, detracting from the suspense during pivotal moments. In high-stakes scenes, these references break the immersion and diminish the gravity of the unfolding drama.

Structurally, the novel feels rushed in places where it could have delved deeper into character relationships, emotional stakes, or the logistics of the crime itself. Key moments—such as the aftermath of Scott’s demise or the family’s reactions during the explosive finale—are glossed over in favor of internal monologues or abrupt scene transitions, leaving readers craving more.

How to Slay on Holiday remains an entertaining read for fans of twisty domestic thrillers. Bonner’s clever premise, witty dialogue, and immersive setting carry the story through its weaker points, delivering a page-turner that will keep readers guessing. While the novel doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential, it’s a fun, fast-paced addition to the “vacation-gone-wrong” genre that will leave readers intrigued to see what Bonner pens next.