Aoife died at her hen party weekend. Three years later the hen party return to the villa where it happened. Dani craves closure as she cannot remember everything that happened that fateful night. As soon as they arrive old wounds open and they all have different versions of what happened. Secrets are being kept and how far will they go to keep the secrets buried.

This has me intrigued from the off. It’s set in a dual timeline with several characters relaying the events but it doesn’t get confusing like some multiple pov character chapters. A couple of the hens characters I found annoying but overall the characters are likeable. The storyline itself is great but I did at times feel de ja vu moments. This is a decent thriller and it does have a few red herrings in regard to the how Aoife died. When it finally reveals that fateful night I did partially guess but it was a great ending and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it was really well written and I raced through it to find out what was happening. Interesting location although I’ve never been there and interesting relationships between the women. Recommended

This one was a great read! Enjoyed it so much from start to finish. The characters were incredibly believable and the storyline had me hooked. A real page-turner...

The hen night from hell! Four friends revisit it he Marbella villa where three years ago the bride to be was found dead on the last night. Retracing their steps it soon becomes clear that everyone has a secret!

While mystery and thriller isn't typically my go-to genre, every now and then I find myself drawn into it. Honestly, this book caught me off guard because I'd heard quite a few negative reviews. It also took me by surprise because I wasn't really feeling it in the beginning. In fact, things didn't start getting interesting until about halfway through.

But when it comes to the characters, I was hooked. Each one had their own se-crets, adding layers to the story.

As for the plot, like I mentioned, it was a slow burn at first, but did it pick up steam towards the end!

The Villa
Jess Ryder
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It's been a minute since I've read a thriller/mystery and this newest from Jess Ryder did not disappoint.

A group of hens return to the same villa in which their bride-to-be lost her life three years earlier. One can't remember a thing and is determined to find out the truth at last.

This story is told through a series of flashbacks and multiple POVs - as the story went on I found myself getting more and more invested.

The ending was really satisfying and while it wasn't what I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

There's plenty of angst and tension within the group and I think that makes the story all the more interesting. As more secrets were revealed, the more I wanted!

10/10 would recommend this one for anyone who's a fan of a thriller/mystery book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

This is a very readable book about 4 women returning to Spain, some more willingly than others, to revisit the site of the death of another friend Aoife some three years previously. Dani, in particular, has little to no recollection of Aoife's death and she hopes to regain her memory and work out what exactly happened.

The books is fairly well paced, fairly believable and does a good job of evoking the hen and stag culture of Marbella. The dialogue and descriptions of the girls ring true and it has a surprising ending. I guessed part of the solution but no means all of it. I was not entirely convinced by what actually happened to Aoife and the motive seemed a little unlikely but otherwise it's a good read and would probably be ideal to read on a sunshine holiday.

A good example of its type. 3.5.

The Villa is a great example of utterly readable , commercial thriller fiction. Fast paced, fun and so easy to read I flew through this and couldn’t put it down. I love toxic friendships and exotic locations it’s always a fun trope when mixed with a deadly mystery and this read ticked all my boxes.
I will definitely be looking to read more of this authors titles now and recommend to my friends on bookstagram

Three years ago, bride-to-be Aoife died at her own hen party. Now the hens have returned to the villa where that terrible weekend unfolded. They long for closure. But the moment they step back inside, old wounds open and tensions begin to rise. Everyone has a different version of what happened that night. Who is keeping secrets? And how far will they go to keep them hidden.

I really enjoyed this one!! It's been a while since I read a juicy thriller/mystery like this and I've forgotten how intense they are! I could not put this one down and ended up finishing it in near enough one sitting.

The Now and Then timelines were done so well and I did not find myself getting confused like I do sometimes with other books.

I honestly was not sure how this one was going to end and did not see the twist coming but wow!!!

I rated this 4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley, Jess Ryder and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Penguin for the eArc of The villa.

This is one of them books that grab you from the start and doesn't really let go. Aoife, the bride to be and her hens go to Marbella for a Hen weekend, Three years later and on the anniversary of Aoife's death from a random burglary in the Villa, Dani cohesively organises a weekend away with the same hens to the very same villa they witnessed. Why? Because, the hens can piece what happened to Aoife together but somethings a miss, You see. Dani, can't remember anything about that fateful night. Reluctantly, they all go to the same places to see if they can get to the bottom of what happened.

This narration is told in 3rd person from the perspective of the Hens, all friends of Aoife. If you're wondering how you say this name ( yes. I googled it! ) It's eefuh ( Thank me later haha ) Im no good at pronouncing Irish names! Each Hen, Dani, Tiff, Celine and Beth have a very distinctive voices and personality so I found it easy to. keep track of who is who. It becomes very clear throughout the book that even though these ladies have been brought together by knowing Aoife through varied stages, the dynamics have some drama included which makes things more interesting.

Its set on 2 timelines, 3 years previous as the Hens are working through their own painful memories and present day as Dani is trying to work her way through why she's so traumatised she can't remember what happened. Snippets keep filtering through and as the ladies decided it too painful to stay and time draws into that fateful night, Dani's memories come rushing in. The payoff, I thought was really well done and brings to light how painful it is to remember traumatic experiences, we forget how utterly heartbreaking it is when you can't.

The very ending made me shed a tear or two but in a good way.

4 stars and ill be looking out for more of Jess Ryders books in the future

Bleary eyed this morning after sitting up late into the night to finish this thriller.
The premise for the book is brilliant. Four women revisit the villa where three years earlier their friend, the 'hen'., had been murdered at her own hen party. The prevailing sense of peril throughout the book keeps you guessing right to the end, and - in classic whodunnit style - there are multiple candidates for the role of murderer.
At first, I struggled a little with keeping track of each of the women, Beth, Tiff, Celine and Dani, as they each took turns as narrator, but as I read on there was plenty to distinguish between them so was very glad I persevered.
This is a heady tale of boozy partying, toxic relationships, jealousy, rivalry, lust and grief and will make for the perfect holiday read around a pool - maybe just don't read it if you're staying in a remote Spanish villa near Marbella...

Thank you SO much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved this!! Such great characters and a great storyline.

My full review is to follow in a few days.....

I absolutely loved this book and flew through it - it had everything, great setting with a nod to the underbelly, death, mystery and resentment which were revealed as the story progressed.
It is definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year, i love a girls holiday, in this case a return to the scene of the crime, a villa in Marbella, to hold a memorial for their dead hen, killed three years earlier.
Great writing, woven together seamlessly, i didn't want the book to end.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read "The Villa." It has a reasonable plot with an interesting array of characters, possibly a fair reflection of a group of hens who do not really know each other. An undercurrent of darkness and mystery prevails as the bride-to-be is murdered; the hens reluctantly return to the crime scene and the true events of three years previous are slowly revealed.
A little predictable, but sufficiently paced to ensure that the reader continues to the end.

3 years after Aoifes death at her Hen party, Dani returns to the scene, along with the other 3 hens, to piece together what actually happened that night.

Set in Marbella, on a hot sunny weekend this is a great fast paced "who done it" set in 2 different time lines & multiply voices. I flew through this and it was a very unexpected twist at the end!

Well worth a read!

"The Villa" is a psychological thriller written by Jess Ryder.

A hen party. A wild weekend in Marbella. A magnificent and secluded villa. A bride-to-be brutally murdered. An unsolved mystery. Hens returning, three years later, to that same house for a closing. These are just some of the elements that make up "The Villa," a bewitching, intriguing and compelling book that captured me completely. A story full of jealousies, envy, grudges, lies, deceptions and secrets, which kept me glued to the pages, sweeping me into the vortex of the narrative. A tale developed on two different timelines, alternating between past and present, following the events that led to the tragedy and the hens who return to the mansion three years after the murder. I appreciated this choice, in my opinion handled very well, and I was fascinated by the mystery the author managed to create. The novel proceeds quickly and appealingly, without moments of boredom or heaviness, delivering the puzzle pieces a little at a time, until the final resolution. The hens Dani, Celine, Tiff and Beth, all with their respective povs, convinced me. I admit that I found them shallow and not particularly lovable, but given the enigmatic nature of the tale, this did not bother me.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley & Random House UK, Cornerstone, Penguin for the opportunity to read this in exchange for honest feedback!

It took me a wee while to get into this book but once I did, I was hooked!! It can sometimes be a wee bit confusing to keep up with the viewpoint of multiple characters across different time periods, but this flowed really well. All of the characters had their flaws and weren't overly likeable, but by the end, you understood a bit better.

It was very well paced & I struggled to put it down from 25% onwards. The ending was fab and twisty, thinking I knew who'd dunnit, but I was kept guessing until the end.

I really enjoyed it!

Three years ago Beth, Dani, Celine, Tiff and Aoife went to Marbella for Aoife’s hen do. With the chief bridesmaid having planned the most luxurious, fun filled time, all the girls ate certain to have a brilliant time right?

Well when all the girls don’t exactly get along, everything seeming to cost a small fortune and things going wrong around every corner, it doesn’t exactly seem like the perfect hen do.
Especially when at the end of the trip the bride is murdered.

So when the girls decide to go back to mark the third anniversary of Aoife’s death, Dani believes it will be the closure they all need. But staying in the same villa from last time, things start to happen which leads Dani to believe it probably wasn’t a burglary gone wrong the police believed it to be.

I really loved the idea for The Villa and the story flowed well for the most part, with the chapters going from the girls trip now and their past trip. I would definitely recommend this to someone who would love a quick read thriller.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Jess Ryder, Penguin and Netgellay for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. The Villa comes out on July 4th! I’m

The villa is a fast paced psychological thriller. The timeline of the book is split between present and past tense. 3 years ago 5 friends fly out to Marbella in Spain to celebrate the hen do of Aoife, when she tragically loses her life. Three years later Dani, who can’t seem to remember what happened , is desperate to figure out what happened to her friend 3 years ago so she manages to persuade the others to go back to the villa where it happened to “celebrate the anniversary” of their late friend.
The book is divided between the perspectives of each friend & from very early on in the book you can tell that each of them have something to hide. This book was so cleverly written, each pov from both past and present gradually puts all the pieces of the story together and sets up the perfect reveal for what actually happened to Aiofe. I enjoyed this book, I feel like a lot of thrillers tend to use the same story lines but this story felt very unique. The only things that I didn’t like was that at times the multiple POVs felt a bit overwhelming and a little confusing and although the build up to the reveal was done very well it felt as though when we got there it was a little bit rushed and certain things could have been explained better. Besides that I enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone looking for a fast paced thriller. 3.5*

I enjoy books where there's a party abroad with uni friends or in this case, hens as I haven't been on one with lots of people. When I read these I think I have made the right decision - brilliant to go through this in a book but not in real life. The villa sounded nice though but what was more enjoyable was the tension and secrets between the guests.