This is most definitely a novel, but it is almost a book made up of separate stories, all set around a traveller's hostel in Los Angeles.  Some of the stories are about people who find themselves staying at the hostel to escape from events in places they have left behind and there are also the back stories of the people who work at the hostel.  Because there are so many characters with their own tales to tell the first half of this book is a little slow going, but once you get to know everyone and their past lives start to unravel the action really picks up.  The characters are all fantastically fleshed out, even the hostel which is a character in itself.  A quick read broken in to short sharp chapters (more than 150 of them) and a perfect book for a bit of summer escapism.

I love John Marrs books and this one did not disappoint I loved each of the characters stories and the twists I had no idea what to expect. It did take me a little while to get into this at the beginning but once it got going I couldn't put it down.

Based at a back packing hostel in LA there are a number of different characters that end up at the hostel for various reasons. Lots of twists and turns and the characters have their own secrets they are running away from.
After about half way through the book, the plot thickens and the emotions escalate. Each character comes to life and their stories unfold.
The descriptions of LA and the Ocean beach made me feel like I was there and the way the character stories progressed and interlinked while the suspense built up over the book was brilliant.

John Marrs -The Vacation
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a long-standing fan and avid reader of Marrs’ Literary Fiction. This latest offering was a slow-paced, character-driven thriller that didn’t deliver in the ways I was expecting.

I think this is, in part, due to the rebranding- as one previous reviewer eluded to, the premise of ‘sun, sea and sex’ missed the mark. Due to these purposes I was impatient to get to the ‘action’.

That aside, the writing as it stands, is up to Marrs’ usual high standards, with Characterisation being a particular strength. The exploration of escapism and paths crossing was intriguing. I enjoyed this read but perhaps not as much as it’s predecessors.

Wow I cannot get enough of John Marrs’ books he is most definitely one of my favourite authors. I hadn’t read the original of this story which centres around the lives of people staying in a hostel in Venice beach. Each with their own backstory you find that you can’t put it down as you want to find out more about them. Normally with books where the story is told from different characters I find myself interested in a few but not all. But with this book I couldn’t put it down as wanted to find out about all of them. A fantastic read and would highly recommend.

Multi-layered and character-driven, The Vacation is a well-developed story about a large group of characters whose paths meet by accident. And just for a little while, their lives become entangled.

As with most of Marrs books, there are a lot of characters to get used to (maybe just a few too many this time), but he describes his characters so well that it doesn’t take long to get to know them all. There were two characters that I especially felt connected to, but I could picture them all quite vividly which isn’t something all authors can do very well.

However, I did feel like the story was really dragging at various points. And then I realised that the book is 496 pages long, which is just too much for a book like this. Had it been cut down by 100 pages, I wouldn’t haven’t grown so tired of the story and been able to appreciate the characters much more.

The Vacation is a good book, especially as one of Marr’s earlier releases, and it certainly showcases his writing talent. But I do think that it should have stayed in the past. Everybody is becoming a fan of John Marrs these days and it’s definitely well deserved, so we are all bound to revisit his earlier work at some point. But seeing how his writing has developed over the years, this one doesn’t live up to the standards of his books today so I don’t quite see the need for a re-release.

The trouble I have is that I don’t think the new promotional material works for this book at all. The new cover photo and tagline of “Sun, sea, sex, murder” are very misleading. There’s no sun or sex or even very much sea. And the tagline makes it seem like it’s going to be a whodunnit, but murder really isn’t the focus here.

It’s much more than that, and the original image of backpackers in a dry heat worked much better, as the story is about these random lives coming together which is what backpacking is all about. So I think the new image and text will only disappoint readers who will be expecting something more fast-paced and exciting.

If you’re already a fan of Marrs, this one probably won’t live up to your expectations. But if you’re new to him as an author and this is your first experience of his writing, this is a great teaser of what’s to come, and you’ve got many brilliant books to look forward to!

So many characters, but when you get that straight you are in for a tense, exciting read!

Set in Venice Beach in Los Angeles is a ramshackle hostel full of characters that all have pasts and secrets. A completely engrossing read that leaves you feeling like one of the residents, desperate to see what happens to "us"

I thoroughly recommend as with all Marrs' books

Once again I was blown away by John Mars latest book. From start to finish, I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going on. The story involves the lives of various different people and nothing happens to them the way you expect it to!! So many twists and turns, it was impossible to work out what was going on. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for his next book. I know I won’t be disappointed.

John Marrs has long since become one of my favorite writers, and this book was no different. An excellent thriller focusing on a group of strangers meeting, and the aftermath of their counter.

I was so excited to receive another great read from John Marrs. This story is a re-issued version of the previously self-published book Welcome To Wherever You Are. It revolves around eight disparate backpackers living in a hostel in Venice Beach, CA, all running (and hiding) from a damaged past. Told in different POV chapters, you will be treated to a glimpse of their journey and their intricate backstories, a series of bizarre and routine flashbacks that add tension to the story.

It was a chilling reminder of my backpacking days in rundown hostels, so I found the setting realistic and well executed. What blew me away was how each character connected and how their stories unfolded, each section ending with an outcome of doubt, adding to the suspense. The actions of the past have consequences and where some intersecting storylines fared better than others, I still wasn’t able to anticipate each twist. This gives the reader plenty to contemplate and spurs them on to keep reading.

A slow starter, I did wonder how many characters I was going to have to keep track of. Something kept me from being fully invested, possibly because it wasn’t as dark as his other books and the format was different. Some of the characters were intriguing, but others seemed to lack that special magic Marrs has skillfully managed to sprinkle in his earlier books. While the plot, as always, is immaculately delivered, with fabulous twists and turns you don’t see coming, I couldn’t help feeling a tad disconnected. The action increases in the second half of the book although I still missed the fast pace of his psychological thrillers.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, publisher #PanMacMillan and #JohnMarrs for the privilege of reading this book.

As one of my 'buy without reading the blurb' authors, I was delighted to be approved by the publisher to read this re-release from John Marrs. Fortunately I hadn't read the previous incarnation so it was nice to go in with an open mind.

We are introduced to quite a diverse selection of characters which I suppose reflects a backpacking hostel perfectly. There are quite a few names to get to grips with at first but the way they are presented doesn't overwhelm the reader. The story is presented in two time frames, individual to each character's story, which explains each person's reason for arriving at the hostel. It sounds complicated but honestly, it really flows well.
There's an evangelist's pole dancing daughter, a pair of Irish armed robbers, a failed boy band member, and the winner of a competition who is desperate to meet her idol. These are just a few of the individuals who have washed up in Venice Beach, each seeking to escape their past and build the foundation for a better future.

I loved this book and felt like I was another guest at the hostel, people watching and discovering their stories. It's like a soap opera mixed with Love Island but much, much better! It would be absolutely great if there were a sequel to this book for us to find out 'What happened next' for at least some of the characters.

Once again John Marrs has secured his place on my 'guaranteed to buy' list.

Excellent from the get go. There is not a John Marrs book that I dont enjoy reading and this was no exception. Each character had a back story and reason for why they ended up in the hostel and I loved every single one. The ending was fitting and I'd love to hear how each person was getting on years down the line. If I could score this more than 10 out of 10 then I would. Loved it.

I've read a couple of John's books now but I certainly need to read all his other books as they are just brilliant. I think this is my favourite by far, it is set in Los Angeles on Venice Beach, John writes well so that you can imagine that you are there being able to hear the waves crashing against the rocks and the sand between your toes, life is idyllic. The story is about the eight people that are staying at one of the hostels, are they really here for the beach and the surf or are they here for something else? There are is a lot packed into this book but I found it easy to follow who is who. They each have their own story to tell and Venice Beach seems like the best place for it. The story flowed well for me, I didn't want to put the book down after each chapter, a very good twisty thriller.

Another fantastic book by John Marrs. Absolutely loved how all the stories are intertwined. Highly recommended!

Have read this previously as the re named welcome to whenever you are. So good to have recently read of, always much better the 2nd time round

How far would you go to escape your past? Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach front hostel, there is far more on their mind than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they'd kill to keep.

A group of strangers all arrive at a hostel on Venice Beach. all of them running away from something. They all have secrets and want a new identity.

The pace is steady and it's told in the past and present day format. The plotline is multi-layered but easy to follow. We are told how each well developed character got into the situation they were in. This is an intriguing read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMacMillan and the author #JohnMarrs for my ARC of #TheVacation in exchange for an honest review.

I remember reading this book when it first came out, under the previous name “Welcome to Wherever You Are”.

I have read all of John Marrs’ books (he is one of my favourite authors after all), I remember thinking that this book was not initially as brilliant as his other releases. I was so glad to see that it was being re-edited and changed a little to match the standard of his other novels.

Marrs has once again secured himself as an auto buy author for me!

The Vacation follows a number of different characters on their backpacking journey around America. Including their past and their unknown connections to others.

I really enjoy John Marrs style of writing, so I was thrilled to be offered a copy on Netgalley. This novel definitely delivered with twists and turns and throws a lot of extra curve balls in. Apart from getting slightly confused with the amount of characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down.

As soon as I started The Vacation I knew instantly it was the kind of book I’d love. It’s a story of eight strangers who end up at a hostel in Venice Beach. They all have secrets and all appear to be running from something. The chapters are short and have references to the past giving you an insight into why each person has escaped their previous life. This definitely adds to the plot and makes the book impossible to put down.

John Marrs is a new author for me and based on this book, I’ll certainly be seeking out more of his work. Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and the author for the chance to review.

Review for Welcome to Wherever You Are - now titled THE VACATION

Here is my review for Welcome to Wherever You Are. I read The Wronged Sons about a year ago and was utterly blown away by the storyline, twists and turns and actually contacted the author on Goodreads to let him know, which is the first time I had EVER done that. After making contact John and I became "online" friends and I was so excited to hear that he was writing another book. Infact I was one of the extremely fortunate people to read an early extract months ago and last week I read the final copy in a day!. Firstly I need to point out that this is nothing like The Wronged Sons and I don't think it should be compared to it either. This is about 8 strangers who are all running away from their past and end up in a back packing hostel in LA. The author has an incredible talent for telling stories that weave in and out, merging the past and present, leaving the reader baffled by making you despise a character one chapter and then break your heart the next. I loved this book and highly recommend it. A solid 5* from me!