Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Aoife, Dani, Tiff, Beth and Celine were staying at a villa near Marbella 3 years ago for Aoife's hen party when Aoife was murdered, presumably during a burglary. Now on the anniversary of her death they are returning to visit her grave and Dani is hoping to remember what exactly happened the night Aoife died, but things are tense since these women really didn't have a connection to each other besides Aoife. And then they start to receive signs that they shouldn't be back in Spain looking into what happened.

4.5 stars.

This was a good solid read. The story is told mostly from Dani's perspective with flashbacks thrown in and the other women get occasional chapters as well. It took me a little bit to get onto it and keep.the women and their connections.to Aoife straight but once I had that down I was totally engaged in finding out what really happened. I also enjoyed the Puerto Banus/Marbella setting. Jess Ryder always delivers a solid read and I look forward to her next.

This was a fairly decent read. The flashback and jump forward kept the plot moving and kept you guessing though I had an inkling of some of the twists. Some of the characters were a bit jarring but I feel like that was intentional from the author. Would definitely read more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Villa’ written by Jess Ryder in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Three years ago Aoife died at her hen party held at the Villa Floriana in Marbella while with four of her friends, Dani, Beth, Celine and Tiff. It appears to have been a burglary gone wrong but there’s no reason why Aoife should have died or Dani be found unconscious on the floor with a damaged knee. On the third anniversary Dani persuades the friends to return to Marbella as she’s desperate to learn the truth and hopes that being in the same Villa will jog her memory.

‘The Villa’ is a twisty thriller of five women who reluctantly return to where Aoife died but it soon becomes clear that they have their own agenda as to why they’re keeping secrets. Maybe it’s me but I got confused as the chapters were narrated by too many characters telling what happened three years ago, then moving forward to the present time, and I had to keep going back to the beginning of the chapter to find out who the story was being told by and when. I’ve enjoyed the story as it leads up to Dani’s memory returning but the conclusion fell a bit flat and wasn’t as exciting or unexpected as I’d anticipated. But despite this, I’d still recommend it as it’s ideal to take with you on holiday.

A very enjoyable mystery, thriller based in Marbella. The bride dies in mysterious circumstances on her hen party trip. The case is never solved and the girls seem to go on with their lives. However, Three years later, Dani one of the hens tricks the others into gathering in the same place to re-create the weekend and try to regain her memories. Some of them get more than they bargained for as they are all hiding something. The tension is kept throughout the story and the twists appear at just the right times making the narrative move on at a good pace. I didnt guess the ending which is always the sign of a good book for me. Recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

A fantastic thriller about a hen's weekend gone wrong. I have been reading mostly horror for well over a year now and this book reminded me how much I love a good thriller. The story takes place from multiple points of view, as well as both past and present timelines. It's effective as each POV character adds more clues and information as to what happened and keeps you guessing right up to the last minute. The present is told only by one character, Dani, and is set in the present tense which personally I don't particularly enjoy, but it doesn't take away from this novel. Loved it.

Wow! This is one fantastic book! It draws you in and won't let you go till that last chapter. So many twists and turns. Absolutely loved this book and I will definitely be recommending this.

3 years ago Aoife arrived in Marbella with 4 friends for her Hen Night. Many activities have been arranged over the weekend culminating in a special surprise. Unfortunately by the end of the night Aoife is dead and life for the "Hens" is never the same. Present day and Dani invites the "Hens" back to Marbella for the anniversary of Aoife's death. Since that fateful night her memory has escaped her so she wants to recreate the weekend in the hope of remembering. But nothing goes to plan and the everything could backfire in the quest for the truth.
I enjoyed the storyline even if I didn't particularly like any of the characters. None of if them had nice traits, all the girls were shallow and self centred. It's an ideal beach read

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Five hens and not everything is as it seems. Did not expect the ending.

This book was an easy read, you could follow the storyline with ease as it flitted between past and present. Aoifes hen is being held in Marbella in a remote villa, the whole weekend seems to be well engineered, 5 girls arrive and only 4 return. We follow the 4 surviving hens as they return to the Villa and for Dani to try and remember what happened that fateful night.

I was kept guessing throughout, I thought I knew what had happened but no, I was wrong! It was a shame that it all unfolded quickly at the end and we didn’t really get to explore the repercussions.

I did like the book, I couldn’t put it down, I just had to know what happened!

Exceptionally well thought out & written. Kept me hooked & the ending was an unseen masterstroke. Very highly recommended.

This book had me hooked from the beginning, I was so intrigued to find out what had happened that night at the villa.

I really enjoyed the dual POVs and exploring each of the characters perspectives.

A really good, holiday read!

I really enjoyed this story and it was a quick and easy thriller with some god twists and revelations throughout. Told in dual timeline from different perspectives; three years previously when 5 friends go on a hen weekend to Marbella but only 4 return, and present day where the 4 remaining hens return to retrace their steps in order to uncover forgotten memories about what happened that night there years ago. Characters were developed well and the complex relationships between the hens well thought out. Everyone has secrets in this story and any one of them could have been involved in the fateful event. I changed my mind a few times and to some extent I was (kind of) right but not wholly and I thought the ending made sense. I give the book 4 stars and would recommend to friends

Note to self: <s>don’t go on a hen weekend to Marbella</s>
Don’t go on Hen weekends full stop.

A twisty thriller told across dual timelines + multiple POVs it’s bound to be a summer beach read hit!
Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Penguin + NetGalley for the ARC

The blurb of this book sounded great. A group of 5 hens go to Marbella for the ultimate hen do but only 4 return. 3 years later a 1 of the hens arranges for the the remains 4 hens to return and secretly relive the weekend to help them solve the murder. Someone in Marbella doesn’t want them to keep digging around and sends them a threatening message!

I love a good murder mystery and I really enjoyed the majority of the book right up until the last few chapters. I couldn’t put it down to begin with it was a real page turner. To say I was disappointed by the ending would be an understatement. It totally fell flat and the big reveal was wishy washy and highly disappointing. I just don’t feel like this book ended and I keep thinking I need to finish it then realise it did actually end.

Like I say I did enjoy this book so do give it a read you may appreciate the ending more than I did! It’s definitely a book more about the journey rather than a mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this digital arc.

Although I did not like the characters in this book, I found that I had to keep reading to find out what really happened on the final night of the Hen do. It was well written and I read it quickly. Ideal for the summer around a pool but maybe not for Hen parties!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advance copy of this book.

I hadn't read this author b4 and so glad I have. Page turner from the beginning. Characters are well written.

This book gripped me from the start ! I was initially intrigued by the premise & this really lived up to my expectations !

I wasn't sure who was to blame throughout as everyone had their own mystery. I definitely was not expecting the outcome & I was pleasantly surprised.

The characters were all fantastic & well written. I thought each had a great depth to them & loved each of their perspectives. I’m not sure why we switched from first person to third for different characters, this was a little strange but didn’t take away from my reading experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book & highly recommend !

Holiday themed thrillers are definitely my favourite genre!

Really enjoyed this one - the characters were mostly likeable even though they all made some irritating choices throughout.

I was sufficiently surprised by the ending as i thought I knew from the beginning who was responsible for Aoife’s death, but I was wrong.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. My. What did I just read?!?!?

You might know by now that I am always all in with any book that follows a group of people on an occasion but this book steps it up a notch, as we open with the ultimate in setting the scene- a group of girls arriving to a holiday destination to find some have been duped.

There’s a now and then aspect as we follow these girls- now in the aftermath of, let’s call it ‘Something Huge’ as they return to the scene of an awful crime and then as they navigate everyday and not so everyday tensions of a hen party (I LOVE thrillers at hen parties!!!!!)

It’s fab that as you get viewpoints-you begin to like people you had been led to believe were awful and vice versa. One of the friendships properly surrounded me, and made me love two characters so much!

Actually all the characters, from the hens to the surrounding cast of sometimes insanely unsavoury characters, were perfect, as was the settings, the tension, the storylines… all of it. Basically this is a book I LIVED for and was actually gutted when I reached the end (which was just an incredible ending). So recommended and a book I’ll be buying for a few people. Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy of this book.

This is a great read for while on holiday! I love reading a thriller every now and again and this one didn’t disappoint. Loved the little plot twists and turns. Once I got settled in, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next!