I enjoyed this book. Light fun reading. The story moved at a great pace and even though a bit predictable, very enjoyable and I can't wait to read more from this author

Maggie, the much loved star of loveshack is found dead, due to police incompetence her sister Emma takes over solving her murder.

While this book is full of tropes, it’s a very strong plot with good different POV’s. I admit it was a little hard to love because I couldn’t gel with the main characters but it’s a solid book with a very good mystery.

Wow! I absolutely binged this!

I wasn’t expecting much from the characters as they were mostly reality TV stars/influencers and usually portrayed to be very shallow. But I have to say, the author really gave them depth & purpose!

Each little storyline within the book was easy to follow and really engaging.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Amazing!!! I absolutely loved this book and I’m so grateful I was given the chance to read the ARC before publication. Really relevant and modern storyline relating to a lot of life nowadays, will definitely be picking up more books from this author! Highly recommend!

"People Pleaser" by Catriona Stewart was a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! From the very first chapter, I was pulled into the glamorous yet treacherous world of reality television and the darker side of fame that this story explores. The character of Maggie Lathrop, who is crowned the winner of a hit dating show, immediately captures your attention as a quintessential "Kansas sweetheart" whose life suddenly turns fantastical. You think she has it all—a stunning mansion in Los Angeles, a handsome husband, and a circle of glamorous friends—but things take a dark turn when she's found murdered, and the façade begins to crumble.
What I really appreciated about this book was how Stewart cleverly interwove a twisting plot full of lies, secrets, and revelations. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the story would take a turn, and I found myself gasping more than once. Every time a clue was revealed, I would second-guess my theories, which I think is a true testament to Stewart's writing. A compelling mystery should keep you on your toes, and "People Pleaser" certainly did just that.
The narrative is structured beautifully with multiple points of view, including that of Maggie herself, as we get flashbacks from her time on "Loveshack." Each character brought their own dimension to the story, and I was genuinely invested in what they had to say. Emma, Maggie's sister, and her best friends, Jill and Amanda, took centre stage in the investigation when the police declared Maggie's case a cold one. Their determination and camaraderie added a heartfelt layer to the mystery, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.
One aspect of the novel that struck me was the characterisation. I’ll be honest: I didn't really like Maggie. She was portrayed as a "people pleaser," and while I felt sorry for her, I couldn’t help but question whether that label truly encapsulated who she was. This ambiguity made the story even more engaging—Stewart invites readers to form their own opinions about Maggie and her motivations, which kept me contemplating long after I had put the book down.
I also appreciated the dynamic of police incompetence, which is often overdone in thrillers. However, here, it felt realistic—not just a plot device to drive the narrative but a fitting element of the story’s context. It added urgency to Emma’s mission to uncover the truth, elevating the stakes and making the narrative even more gripping.
"People Pleaser" is more than just about uncovering who murdered Maggie; it’s an insightful exploration of the human psyche, fame, and the hidden struggles behind a picture-perfect life.

A new reality TV whodunnit set in the midst of the realities of 2020s social media - 4*

Reality TV murder mysteries must be a new genre in itself because I've now read four of this type this year.. This was the first of that genre I've read where it is set in the 2020s - TikTok is mentioned too frequently for this book to be set in the 2010s. Now, this book baffles me because it has a lot of the tropes that I usually hate, but for some reason in this book, I don't.

1, Multiple POVs. I usually can't keep track and hate switching POVs with each of the characters but I don't in this novel. The plot line is so strong. You don't really care who tells you what happens as the mystery is so strong.

2. No likeable main character. To me, characters are everything (and normally trump the plot) but in this novel it made sense. This novel centres around Maggie, who is sold as a "people pleaser" and I don't think I truly liked her. I felt inherently sorry for her and I feel she did "people please" to an extent, but was she really a "people pleaser"? Perhaps, that's for you - the reader - to decide.

3.A murder mystery where the police are incompetent. Again, I normally find this overexaggerated and unrealistic but it fit in this book. This book wouldn't make sense without it.

I don't know how to summarise my feelings for this novel... I really don't. I was a little disappointed by the murderer reveal. (No spoilers!) Despite this, I still really enjoyed this and I feel this story is more than who murdered Maggie.

A fun mystery, which looks at the reality of fame and the effect it has on the people around you. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to mystery fans

This book! This freaking book! It was so good.

A murder mystery about a reality tv star, in this day and age it’s more normal than not.

Maggie the star of “loveshack” is found dead but to her sister agony the police declare it a cold case as they don’t have a prime suspect. Emma and her best friends Jill and the creator of “loveshack” Amanda have to solve this themselves.

We read this story from their POV and Maggie herself as flashbacks from during and after the reality tv show as aired. I did find predict the ending but I’m not mad about it as it was exceptionally good and would honestly recommend this book when it’s released.

So happy I got a ARC of this! Thank you!

A really fun mystery, with multiple perspectives in a Reality TV/Love Island- esque universe. It was intriguing, twisty and the characters were so easy to like and difficult to suspect.

Thanks for giving me a copy of that book. It was really fun to read! I liked how it mixed up reality TV and crime. I’ve watched Love Island UK since it started, and I thought this book was a cool way to see what it might be like behind the scenes. I guessed who did it, but the book was still really exciting and kept me reading. It was exactly what I wanted to read

An intriguing concept, a mash up of romantic reality TV and crime thriller tropes, that fails to deliver on its initial promise. It is told across four viewpoints, from murder victim Maggie and her experience on the dating show LoveShack, to her sister Emma, tirelessly attempting to discover the truth behind the case. The author is trying to ask some thought provoking questions about the effect of reality TV upon its stars, and the price you pay for fame, but it just felt heavy handed and staid throughout. Couple that with some really clunky dialogue and characterisation and, though there is enough here to prove a page turner for many, it just didn't hold my attention

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed this twisty thriller which blended two of my favourite basic girl interests: reality tv and crime. I’ve watched love island uk since the start and really enjoyed the vapid, shallow look at behind the scenes of these types of shows. I did guess the twist, but I was super hooked on this book and found it to be a real page turner! It was exactly my type of story.

As a fellow people pleaser this book immediately caught my eye and then when I saw what it was about it complflipped on its head. I’m not much of a murder mystery buff but as someone who loves all things entertainment and Hollywood I could wait to dive in and see this mystery unfold

Good overall, decent, likeable characters. The pace of the story was a bit off but I kept reading to find out who the murderer was!

A really interesting premise - a reality star is killed and her family and friends decide to investigate who killed her after the police shut down the case. This is a interesting commentary on the dark and misogynistic world of reality TV and how it can negatively impact those in it's orbit.

The characters are well-written and the plot is well paced, it's a very engaging and enjoyable read. There are enough twists to keep you reading and the ending is well thought through.

The concept of this book is great - an ex-Love Island-style reality tv star is murdered and her friends and family want to find out who killed her and why. I loved the episode narratives that went into the reality of reality TV. I wasn’t hugely invented in the murder plot, I have to admit, and found the ending slightly disappointing. But this is a good beach read for anybody who has ever watched reality TV.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! I really enjoyed this read - I thought it flowed nicely and kept me hooked from the beginning. I loved the chapters in Maggie’s perspective whilst she was on the show, I thought that added a lot to the story to be able to read her POV. I’m a big fan of a murder mystery so trying to scope out the characters throughout was fun. I also liked the whole premise of the book, as it felt relevant to how reality shows operate in reality.

The pacing felt a bit off to me? I didn't really like any of the characters but I felt compelled to continue reading because I wanted to know who the murderer was. I think if you love reality TV and whodunnit then this would be right up your street. Overall it wasn't awful, but it also wasn't for me

A reality TV celebrity, Maggie, is found dead, and her sister Emma takes the matter to her own hands - whodunnit?
The beginning hooked me. It was witty, well-paced, and interesting.
After about 30%, I kept reading to find out who the murderer was.
Overall, this is a good murder mystery. It was not my cup of tea, but I recommend it to murder mystery lovers.

Overall this was a pretty good mystery with a couple of solid twists. The pacing was a bit off, and there were parts that dragged, but in general the plot was pretty well structured. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but the ending was satisfying enough that I'm glad I stuck with it.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review