Rachel Wolf’s *Sun Trap* is a gripping destination thriller that follows aspiring actress Ellie as she lands a dream role in a blockbuster film set in Abu Dhabi. But on the flight there, she overhears a chilling conversation—two people discussing plans for murder. Unsure whether to speak up, she stays silent, but when a cast member mysteriously disappears, Ellie realizes she may be next. With its glamorous setting, intense suspense, and shocking twists, *Sun Trap* is a perfect summer read for fans of high-stakes thrillers

Fantastic read. Set in Dubai. Never read a book from there, so it was different. The book was very well written. It had me hooked right from the beginning. It was a psycological thriller. Great characters that slotted in so well and really added to the plot of the book.It was fast paced and exciting.

3.5*

The thriller opens in New York, where Ellie is studying on a four week drama course. She meets Phoebe, who, frankly, is her double. Once the course has finished, Phoebe, in theory, is off to film in Abu Dhabi, a tiny part for an entrance level actor but somehow, mentally and emotionally, she isn’t up to it. Ellie is more than willing to take Phoebe’s part, as they truly are Doppelgängers – she is especially keen knowing Hanneghan is one of the lead actors. She is in true fan girl mode on the private plane that whisks them away on a 13 hour flight – she has spent most of her adult life in awe of this handsome man, seeking him out wherever and whenever she can.

On the flight she is befuddled because she has taken some pills to calm her mood, but it appears they don’t combine well with free-flowing champagne. She has already teamed up with Josh, who will be her on-screen husband and he takes care of her. But as she is on the way back from the lavatory (where she can fish through fabulous stocks of complimentary make up, moisturisers and the like) she seems to overhear a plot to kill off a male member of the team. That cannot be right, surely, but it leaves her feeling on edge. Obviously.

The scene is set for a tumultuous few days on set, in the desert, a perfect location for drama and death. She also disappears down the rabbit hole of magical thinking, that perhaps some of the devastating events the team comes to face may not have happened if she hadn’t chosen to impersonate Phoebe; and of course, there is ample stress in keeping up appearances, remembering as a Brit to keep the American accent going.

A nocturnal, dramatic excursion on a dune buggy ensues, a race against time during a burgeoning sandstorm in order to track down one of the team who seems to have gone AWOL, a tricky exercise given there are “..no streetlights in the desert ..” (no sh*t, Sherlock ). The buggy overturns and survival is achieved by cowering under a blanket for the duration of the night until help arrives in the morning. The author herself encountered a terrible sandstorm in Syria, and has based this episode in the novel on her own experience.

“You are film people, the rules are different” says the hotel manager at one point and indeed, the gilded life of 5* luxury, palatial accommodation with “.. decor for the rich and elite” doesn’t mitigate the mayhem. At one point Ellie closets herself in a cupboard, as she is snooping around in her Nancy Drew persona, only to witness the end stages of an affair. Whatever happens, she cannot let anyone or anything sabotage her on-screen debut. Partway through, the storyline dramatically shifts gear, changes direction and the reader is offered a wider perspective.

There are multiple murders and a variety of upsets and unfolding dramas in the closing pages, which are extremely inventive.

It is all a bit bonkers, to be honest, preposterous at times but the story bowls along at a cracking pace, tacking this way and that. A quick and entertaining poolside read.

Enjoyed listening to this one! There was a big twist halfway through which I did not see coming at all and many more jaw dropping surprises along the way!
Four stars

WoW. . . . . . Sun Trap by Rachel Wolf and narrated by Alexandra Boulton was an interesting audiobook. it was a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller and set in Abu Dhabi was very good. What more could you ever want?
Once I started to listen to it I ended up being my main audiobook to listen to until it had finished, especially as it was a roller coaster ride from start to finish and a setting for a good whodunit. I loved it.

If you are reading this book, it is a great page turner full of twists and turns throughout that will have you turning your pages to see what happens next. Sun trap has everything, Impersonation, friendship, fear and revenge that may lead to Murder! Excellent combination to make a excellent audiobook/book!

The narrator Alexandra Boulton was excellent.

It's a great holiday book/audiobook. I loved it!

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries | Head of Zeus for my Audiobook and ebook.

This starts off slow and it took me a few times to get into it. It got better about half way through and more interesting but it struggled to keep my attention.

Sizzling thriller that will whip you up like a sand storm!

I really enjoyed Rachel Wolf’s previous thriller FIVE NIGHTS and SUN TRAP is simultaneously more of what I loved and something fresh. Returning is the brilliant expose of wealth and privilege (this time in connection to Hollywood royalty and the perceived glamour of the movies) and the expressive sense of place (substitute the luxury cruise liner of FIVE NIGHTS with a glorious desert resort in the Arabian desert here). What I really enjoyed about this book though was the lead character, Ellie. She becomes increasingly unreliable as the narrative progresses and Wolf is brilliant at writing a story that twists and coils more than an Arabian sand boa. It’s actually really hard to review this book without revealing too much of it! Essentially though, I found Ellie’s story absolutely fascinating and I particularly loved trying to figure out if I should be rooting for her or not. The plot is tightly woven and includes multiple deaths that are both suspicious but also initially put down to natural causes. This helps to build tension and an ever increasing sense of dread as events unfold. I found myself hooked and desperate to know what the underlying truths were. I didn’t feel like I could trust anybody, so had lots of fun piecing together different bits of information to try and see the full picture. Needless to say, I didn’t figure things out! The ending was satisfying and pulled things together in a logical way, whilst also delivering some surprises.

This book also feels really topical, particularly in its look at the seedier side of Hollywood. Given all the horrific stories of celebrities that have been circulating in the news over the past few years, the themes that explore manipulation of power, deceit, and infidelity feel very relevant. Set against the luxurious backdrop of the resort, the secrets bubble up under the searing sun and the influence of premium spirits. The harsh reality of the landscape makes for some tense and unsettling incidents, ramping up tension. The relationships between characters become increasingly fraught, reaching temperatures higher than the sun-beaten sand beneath their feet. The dynamics are sizzling, which I found really enjoyable. Alexandra Boulton’s audio narration really brings all of these elements to life and I felt every ounce of tension and anxiety. The characters all felt distinct, which is always great when a book is read by a single narrator. I felt transported to Abu Dhabi and was totally engrossed in this audiobook.

If you enjoy a thriller that is both vivid in its location and brilliantly character led, SUN TRAP should find its way to the top of your TBR!

A cloak and dagger thriller set under the atmospheric sizzling desert heat of Abu Dhabi. Ellie has dreamed of movie stardom since childhood. She has gone to great lengths to get this amazing opportunity alongside her hero. When she overhears disturbing plans on the plan, and then a death occurs, she is afraid to reveal her true identity, in case the truth comes out and makes her look guilty. how long can she keep everything fro. spiralling? A superb location makes this an enviable thriller to listen to . the perfect holiday listen #suntrap #rachelwolf #netgalley #audiobook

3.5*

I love a destination thriller and enjoy suspending belief to become immersed into the high unrealistic and crazy world of the story and 'Sun Trap' is no different. You really do need to suspend belief with the story premise but it's so ridiculous that you can't help but go along for the ride. There are plenty of twists and turns and our main character, Ellie is well realised and reasonably likeable (not often the case in these books!). There are pacing issues for the middle third of the book but the ending comes at you like a speeding train with reveal after reveal that for the most part I didn't see coming.

What also helped was the enjoyable narration from the audiobook narrator. I felt that Alexandra Boulton did a really solid job bringing each character and the story to life. I really appreciated that Ellie's inner thoughts were in an English accent and when she was speaking 'in character' she maintained her American accent. The production quality is great as well - high quality, clear, well edited and produced. The glamourous but deadly setting was well brought to life and helped keep me engaged when the story pacing felt off.

You know what you're getting with this kind of book so don't think too much about the story or how far fetched it is. Just go along and enjoy the whirlwind ride, and whilst it's a cliché to say, it really is going to be a great read by the pool for your 2025 holiday.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus Audiobooks | Aries Fiction for a review copy of the Audiobook of "Sun Trap" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Sun Trap started with a lot of potential, but I found it a bit slow to get going. The story has an interesting premise, and there were some moments that caught my attention, but it didn’t keep me fully hooked throughout. The characters were okay, but they didn’t feel as fleshed out as I’d hoped. The narration was good, though, and it helped keep me listening. If you enjoy slow-burn thrillers, it might be worth checking out, but it wasn’t as gripping as I expected.

you need to suspend belief with this one; it also works best read in one go as otherwise the incredulity mixed with slow pacing makes it a tough read. if you can just read it without thinking it's an enjoyable summer romp.

It’s hard to describe this book without giving anything away! When Ellie ,from London, meets Phoebe at an actors class in New York they’re so similar they could pass for twins. When Phoebe falls ill just as she’s about to fly to Abu Dhabi for her first role in a film Ellie agrees to “become” her so she doesn’t loose this opportunity. On the flight on the way over Ellie hears two people plotting to kill someone on the set. Desperate for the part and be close to Hannigan her favourite actor after so long, Ellie keeps quiet.

This book came with so many twists it was hard to keep up at times! As long as you suspend your disbelief (some things were definitely implausible or so far fetched) you’ll have a blast. I loved the book and a solid 4 stars for me!! I do love an unreliable narrator and you couldn’t get much more unreliable than Ellie!!

Ellie has always dreamed of being an actress, it’s all she has ever wanted and so when a huge opportunity to star a movie is presented to her Ellie grabs it with both hands but when she overhears two people planning to unalive someone and her cast mates goes go from ten to nine maybe staying quiet wasn’t the best choice but when she isn’t who she says she is what Ellie truly to do?


While this was an easy read I did feel as though it moved a little slower than I would have liked. There were times my attention dipped a little and I found a lot of the book super far fetched which I struggled with. However, despite all that I love a destination thriller and I really enjoyed Ellie as a character. She was a well thought through character who I found quite easy to relate to. Her desperation to finally have the career she has always dreamt of holds her back from making the right decisions and leads her to down a stupid and at times dangerous road. I found the first 50 to 60% to be strong. I was genuinely interested in the story and the mystery. I couldn’t predict the end result and I was super suspicious and it put me in the position of Ellie so well!

I wish we had seen more from Ellie and her friendships, we were rushed through their connections very early on and I was left wanting more. The audio narration was enjoyable but at times I did get confused and struggled to keep up. I loved that the inner thoughts narration was with an English accent and when Ellie was speaking she stayed in character with her American accent it again brought her to life.

I would recommend this to fans of destination thrillers and those who love a mystery that is genuinely hard to predict

Exciting, thrilling and thoroughly entertaining, I really enjoyed Sun Trap🐫🌴☀️

In the story two doppelgängers meet in New York. They are both actresses and soon become the best of friends. Phoebe asks Ellie to take her place for a dream acting gig in Abu Dhabi, but all is not as it seems!

I loved the New York & Abu Dhabi setting. The desert was the perfect location for luxury, drama & murder 👀

There was a big twist halfway through which I did not see coming at all and many more jaw dropping surprises along the way!

This really was an excellent thriller with so many twists and the drama, oh I loved it!

Thank you so much for my advance audio copy.

I found this quite hard to follow- there were a lot of characters introduced quickly and it just all felt a bit too convenient when disaster repeatedly struck. I didn't connect with the main character, she felt very wooden, and I wasn't invested enough to care what happened.

I was looking forward to getting stuck into this one as it’s described as a destination thriller. Unfortunately I really didn’t feel Dubai coming through and didn’t really get a feel for it at all. I didn’t find it a thriller more a slow paced storyline that was just going through the motions and at times disjointed. I’m all for storylines that are a little different and might border on the unbelievable but it really just felt silly and the twists a little left field that didn’t quite come together. There was just too many things that didn’t work or make sense in this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen and review #SunTrap

None stop twists the whole way through. When you think you knew what was going on, there was another twist to make you doubt yourself. Loved this book and how there was so many things to keep you guessing. Didn’t expect the ending at all. I listened to it on audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator.

This audiobook will appeal to readers/ listeners who like their fiction with a touch of the exotic, given that it is largely set in the Middle East, It is full of action and pretty fast paced.

The story involves Ellie, a young British actress who, at the last minute, steps in to cover an acting role for her best friend / doppelgänger, Phoebe. It is not long however until Ellie discovers she has far more to worry about that just replicating Phoebes' American accent, as she overhears a murder plot on the plane. The novel plays out with a succession of suspicious deaths and a number of possible suspects amongst the crew.

Overall a decent plot with a twist or 2 to keep the reader on their toes!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an advance copy.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

Sun Trap
Rachel Wolf

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was such a unique storyline and definitely had lots going on that I've not seen done before in a thriller like this.

On the whole, I really enjoyed it!
It was definitely a slower paced thriller than I'm used to, but I quite liked this for a change.
The pace suited the complicated ins and outs of the plotlines and all the different threads that were running through this.

There was however, a lot going on!
I normally love getting my head around each of the different threads, but I found that the connections twists were a little obvious in some areas....and a little unbelievable in others.
Still, this was a super twisty read, which I loved.

The circumstances of the trip were a little dubious from the start and this made me a bit wary of our main character Ellie.
I definitely had the unreliable narrator vibe from very early on and the circumstances surrounding this snowballed as we learned more about Ellie's past.

A little unbelievable, yes - but definitely not something I was expecting and not something that's been done before.

I loved the setting which added to the drama with the oppressive heat and lack of other guests - this created an almost locked room scenario, but again, I'd made guesses at certain aspects quite early on.

I wasn't overly keen on any of the characters really - but I think this worked well and meant I was free to suspect any one of them throughout the book as I'd not really felt too connected to any of them.
There was no shortage of suspects and although I did guess some of the twists, I didn't connect all the final dots until the reveal.

This was my first read by this author - although I think I also have Five Nights on my tbr - so will be heading on into that one in the near future.



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

I was lucky enough to listen to this one while reading along with my ebook copy. While the story started out strong, I found myself getting a little distracted as more and more characters were killed off. I don't know why, as the suspense should have kept me intrigued but the way each of the deaths happened just seemed so unbelievable that I found myself shaking my head several times. I did love the Abu Dhabi setting though since I'm also desert based in Qatar! The audiobook narration was also done well with the narrator doing a fantastic job.