Nate and Layla, a British couple fed up with the monotony of everyday life, move to Bali in the hopes of a better lifestyle, joining the other digital nomad/ex pats. Their friends Jude and Sophie decide to join them on a sabbatical- and then things turn bad quickly.
This has all the elements of a great location thriller- Balinese setting, unreliable characters who claim to be great friends but don’t seem to actually like one another, a second seemingly parallel storyline with an unknown narrator, and hints that indicate secrets that threaten to unravel. A very satisfying ending!!

Second Nikki Smith book I have read. I find this authors books very quick to read but with a lot of action to entertain this reader. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for chance to ARC this book.

I do love a destination thriller - and one author guaranteed to take me somewhere exotic and whose books I always look forward to, is Nikki Smith. This time it’s a trip to Bali full of secrets, lies and some pretty messed up individuals!

Nate and Layla have quit London to move to Bali and build a new life there. Their best friends Jude and Sophie decide to escape London for a few months and go and visit them - but as soon as they arrive it is evident there are tensions between the foursome and all is not what it seems.

It soon becomes clear that all four of them have secrets they are trying to hide, some more recent than others. Told from each of their points of view, it’s hard to know if any of them are reliable narrators - and all pretty flawed, they aren’t always terribly likeable. But peeling away the layers of their friendship, and the dynamics that lie just below the surface, as things begin to unravel makes for compelling reading and the short chapters make it one of those “just one more” books as you get drawn into the story.

There is plenty to keep the reader guessing - until it all comes together at the end with some definite surprises! The author very much brings Bali to life and makes me want to visit, though there are some interesting observations on the tensions between the locals and expats and visitors.

All in all it is a book I raced through - and would make the perfect holiday read. So pack this one in your suitcase this summer.

I foresee a summer bestseller for Nikki Smith - a fantastic cover and fabulous setting for a fast paced thriller. They Had It Coming kept me turning the pages with four unlikeable characters who are all unreliable storytellers. It’s an easy read and I really could imagine myself reading it on a sun lounger and getting burnt as I couldn’t put it down, but I did finish it slightly underwhelmed. There were plenty of twists and turns but I felt they all were a bit flat and happened as a bit of a rush in the last few chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an eARC.

This was such an intense read full of secrets, lies, and danger as the friendships unravel and revenge takes hold, leaving you questioning just how far people will go to protect themselves.

Nate and Layla decide to move to Bali, leaving behind best friends Jude and Sophie. Wanting to leave London behind, Jude and Sophie travel to visit their friends in Bali. But rather than a happy reunion, cracks begin to appear, while secrets are uncovered.

I was looking forward to reading this as I enjoy destination thrillers and the Bali setting sounded intriguing. The author did a good job describing the environment and creating the atmosphere; I felt the luxury, beautiful setting. The story was told in different voices and the chapters were kept fairly short, which worked well. I didn’t particularly warm to the characters, however they were well developed.

I found that it was interesting trying to discover the secrets, however it felt like it took a lot of time to get there and at times dragged. Even so, this will certainly be a great book for those who enjoy twisty thrillers set in sun soaked, exotic locations and is a perfect holiday read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Nate, Layla, Jude and Sophie have been friends for years, doing everything together. When Nate and Layla quit their jobs and move to Bali, Jude and Sophie become their first visitors. Who knows, maybe they will fall in love with the Balinese lifestyle too? But its been over a year since the couples last spent time together, and when they reunite things just aren't the same. Can they put the past behind them, or will the thirst for revenge take over?

Another great read from Nikki Smith, this time set in Bali. I've actually been to Bali so had some ideas in my head of the villas and beach clubs etc, but regardless Smith describes them in such a way that you can imagine being there.

I found the 4 main characters in this book particularly off-putting, and hard to relate to. They are all keeping secrets from each other, and behaving sneakily and suspiciously. It meant I didn't trust any of them, didn't relate to any of them and didn't sympathise with any of them. Strangely enough this didn't stop me from enjoying the read - I guess because I wanted to see them all get what they deserved!

The storyline for this did keep me guessing, and kept me turning pages. One thing I would say was that the secret keeping was made very blatant, with each character mentioning in their chapters how they were keeping things from others. This felt a little crude, and perhaps could have been done with a bit more subtlety. Because the subterfuge was discussed so openly it meant I wasn't overly surprised by anything that happened throughout the book. That said, I still had the 'I want to know the secrets' feel as I was reading, so it still worked.

Something that did strike me whilst reading was how Smith disctourists, emigrants and 'digital nomads' (I hate that phrase!) on the local economy and businesses, particularly in countries like Bali. It's a very delicate balance in these countries, where tourism is necessary for the economy but also can end up having a very negative effect (both on the economy and on the local customs, traditions and landscape).

Overall I thought this was a good read, and the destination thriller aspect again shone through. I'm thinking of suggesting Smith's earlier book, The Beach Party as my next buddy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Plenty going on in this one, with ups and downs along the way.

Nate and Layla, Jude and Sophie have been friends for a long time doing almost everything together. Then Nate and Layla up sticks and make a new life for themselves in Bali. An idyllic life, with a better work/life balance, so why wouldn't they? They've always been inviting Jude and Sophie to come for a holiday and, suddenly, that's exactly what happens. Now there's nothing missing - except, perhaps, honesty . . .

This is a precisely crafted novel - and very cleverly written. On the surface, life couldn't be better but you only have to scrape the surface to realise that things are not what they seem. As things began to unfold, I was glued to the pages and very reluctant to lay this one aside. With several shocks and surprises along the way, it was a cracking read which I'm very happy to recommend. I started out liking all the characters ... I can't say I felt the same by the end. 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

I found this book really disappointing, it wasn't what I expected at all. I think part of the problem was that I couldn't connect with any of the characters, I found them all quite irritating. From the offset each one had such an entitled attitude that I honestly didn't care what happened to them and as the book progressed they did nothing to change my opinion. The secrets they were keeping were pretty minor, the type of thing many a person would shake off and there was no great twist at the end. Not a book I would recommend
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

3.25*

They Had It Coming starts with all the ingredients of a Nikki Smith destination thriller: a glamorous cast, an exotic villa, a tightly knit circle of suspects and enough buried secrets to fuel a dozen red herrings. Smith’s talent for building tension is undeniable, but this time around a few missteps kept me from fully surrendering to the suspense.

What Worked

Intrigue & Secrets: The wedding fiasco had me asking throughout, “What really went down that night?”

Atmosphere: Smith nails that “trouble in paradise” vibe. The sun-drenched villa feels suffocating, and every offhand glance or hushed conversation hints at hidden agendas.

What Didn’t

Drug-Dealing Subplot: Unfortunately, the Bali-set drug storyline feels both undercooked and clichéd. Rather than adding depth, it distracted from the central mystery—and never really fit the otherwise polished tone.

Pacing & Plot Thickness: The narrative occasionally circles back on itself instead of pushing forward especially in the middle third.

Final Reveal: The big twist landed a little flat for me. Once the culprit is unmasked, the “why” doesn’t quite live up to the elaborate setup.

Having adored The Guests, my expectations were sky-high—and while They Had It Coming is still an enjoyable read, it falls short of Smith’s previous knockout. That said, if you love sun-soaked thrillers with simmering tension, it’s a breezy, entertaining choice and will make for a fun summer-holiday page-turner.

Two couples escape to Bali for a fresh start, but beneath the sunlit paradise lie tangled secrets, betrayals, and fractured friendships. Nikki Smith masterfully explores themes of trust, loyalty, and revenge through vivid, relatable characters caught in emotional turmoil.

The story’s dual timelines and multiple POVs reveal the slow unraveling of relationships, fueled by deception and toxic friendships. While some plot twists feel familiar to seasoned thriller fans, the rich character development and atmospheric setting keep the tension alive.

Perfect for readers who love psychological thrillers with emotional depth and complex friendships.

This was a really gripping read that kept me turning the pages. I liked how the story slowly unraveled, revealing layers of each character and their motivations. The multiple perspectives were done well, adding depth and keeping the tension going. It had a dark, twisty vibe that I really enjoyed, and the themes were thought provoking without being heavy handed. A few parts were a bit predictable, and I wanted slightly more from the ending, but overall, it was a solid, wellwritten thriller that I’d definitely recommend.

Grab your popcorn and prepare to roll your eyes as Nikki Smith takes you on a sun filled trip to Bali in this, her latest offering. And it's chock full of secrets, lies, and more dysfunctional behaviour than you could ever believe from the four main characters. So many that I was tempted to offer a bingo card in my review for you to tick them all off as you go but, you know, spoilers. Suffice to say that, even though my eyes rolled quite frequently, the whole package was way more than the sum of its parts and so I can way easily forgive the author as it was all done in the spirit of the genre...
So... we first meet Sophie as she discovers there's been a break in at her London home. Husband Jude is sympathetic but can see it is affecting her a lot. But he has his own problems at work to contend with. The we meet Nate and Layla who have been friends with Sophie and Jude forever, although currently, due to an "incident" are a bit estranged. Which isn't too much hassle as they upped sticks and are now living in Bali, renting an AirB&B whilst they build their own villa, courtesy of Layla's inheritance...
There's so much more I can say about the characters and the situations they find themselves in when Sophie and Jude fly out to stay with them for a couple of months but you really need to discover it, warts and all, for yourself, for maximum car crash impact. Suffice to say that they are all pretty nasty and, if real, better avoided.
The book delivers shock after shock, with secrets exposed all the way through, some better than others I hasten to add. But all move the story along nicely. We also have a separate thread, set in the past, and quite where this all connects, again I'm leaving for you to find out, but it does eventually explain a few things towards the end so just stay with it... An ending which, if I'm honest, I didn't see the half of which coming but which satisfied as well as shocked.
All in all, another winner to add to an already well established back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I was gripped by this sun soaked mystery set in Bali, with underlying serious themes. Nikki Smith captures all the sights and sounds of the island, as well as the attitude of westerners towards locals - I really felt I was back in the tropics. Two couples share a toxic friendship and past and present grievances are slowly revealed. All the characters were annoying and unlikeable but the slow build suspense had me on the edge of my seat. As well as being a compelling read, there’s a realistic depiction of the issues Bali is facing with foreign investment and over development..It’s really sad how much Bali has changed in the last 20 years, fuelled by digital nomads, like some of these characters - living their best life on Instagram but destroying the lives of a lot of the locals.

I want to front this by saying I'm not normally a thriller girl AT ALL (as in, this was literally my first thriller ever), so I'm so grateful for being given the chance to read this one despite my profile not fitting the typical vibe.

This last 12 months I've really branched out with my reading habits, and I read some historical fiction and one sort-of thriller that were such a refreshing, page-turning change from my usual romance vibe. I've been craving more of that since, and honestly, the fact that THIS was the thriller that caught my eye as being my first step into the genre, should be deemed the highest praise. I've gone a LONG time without being swayed!

Bearing in mind that I'm judging this based on this book alone (i.e. I'm not an expert on what makes a great thriller), I did genuinely enjoy this book. It took me a little while to understand whether I did or not, because I have to admit it was a stressful read. I think part of that was also because this was my first experience with the genre, I wasn't sure of the typical format or how 'far' things might go, and what sort of darkness I needed to be prepared for. Overall, I'd say this was the perfect amount of twisted darkness to keep me reading, without scarring me for dear life.

I adored the Bali setting which added to the whole atmosphere, the pacing was great (even the first half where it was mostly setting up the scenario/characters was well-written and pacey). I thought the balance between 'normality' (used loosely) and drama was perfect, the slowly-building tension throughout was incredible, and the ending didn't disappoint. I devoured the second half of this in one sitting, and even I was like WOAH how did I just read, like, 150 pages.

I might be adding more thrillers to my list...

Kinda made me want to up sticks and move to Bali,the descriptions of the island a d what it offers were tantalising and you could see,hear and taste the island,almost
A really good story of friends who decide to completely change their lives and the left behind friends and what happens when a reunion is more about revenge than reunion…..and the reasons for this
Enjoyable read ,great writing

The story is definitely intriguing. Set in Bali the story focuses on 2 couples. At times I found it hard to keep them straight in my head as there was a lot of hints at who did what and no real distinguishing characteristics between them.

The story is written from multiple POVs and is interspersed with a story from 2007 which becomes clear at the end.

There was a lot of build up and then a fairly disappointing round up of information at the end…I felt a lot went on, but the resolution was not great, an entrenched feud was dropped for example.

It was an ok read, a good setting, but I felt the ending needed more time to it and the middle less. I also wanted to know more about Nate and his motivation.

This took me so long to read for multiple reasons but the main one being I never really got into it.

The cast of characters are confusing and unlikeable and not in a good way. I was never fully engaged by any of the pov's and I found the multiple timelines quite confusing and unnecessary (the opening flashback was so strong and had me hooked but tbh r pacing of the rest of this book did not follow that at all)! I feel most of this book was pushing certain characters to be seen as negative and the villains when really that was not the case. The end reveals felt less like reveals but more misleading to the audience. To me, there were way too many timelines for everything to be wrapped up nicely.

I do feel it ended somewhat satisfyingly but, for me, there were certain people that were overlooked. For a book that seemed to be preaching about how wrong it was for foreigners to be moving to Bali, it seemed to care very little about the Balinese community.

I'm just unsure. I do think this book was surprising, but maybe not in all the right ways.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for this arc !!

*All opinions are my own !!*

This was a perfect book to read in the sun, the setting of Bali was well researched and I could imagine myself in all of the locations.

Sophie and Jude head off on a 3 month trip to Bali to visit their friends Nate and Layla to get away from their lives in London. There is tension from the outset due to something happening on Sophie and Jude’s wedding day and the tension builds as it’s clear each of the four is hiding something and the reader doesn’t know who, if any of them to trust.

There are a few twists weaved throughout the plot as well as a separate timeline set in 2007 that is interspersed through the main story.

Really enjoyed this book, would make a perfect beach read.

Jude and Sophie and Nate and Layla have been good friends for years back in London. Nate and Layla have moved to a tropical paradise of Bali, where they are busy setting up their future life! Jude and Sophie arrange to visit them at their villa and to experience a holiday of a lifetime. The story is told with multiple points of views and over different time lines. We soon learn there are secrets and lies brewing in their lives. I found it to be intriguing, mysterious, taut and tense with plenty of nail biting moments as the story reaches a dramatic conclusion.