Saint X

If you are looking for a fast paced crime or thriller read, then I would advise you to steer clear of Alexis Schaitkin's remarkable slow and considered character driven debut, a tantalising, acutely observed study of grief, loss, class, race, family, privilege, memory and obsession. 18 year old American Alison Thomas is holidaying with her family, her parents and 7 year old sister, Claire, on the fictional Caribbean island, Saint X, with its friendly locals, staying at The Indigo Bay Resort. The apparently confident, beautiful, athletic and flirtatious Alison goes missing, only for her body to turn up on a beach later. Two locals, Clive Richardson and Edwin Hastie, are arrested but with insufficient evidence, they are released and the mystery of Alison's death remains a mystery through the years.

The young Claire was close to Alison, her lovely sister was everything she wanted to be, she and her parents lives were left indelibly fractured and broken, with the tragedy of what happened to Alison receiving intense media attention in the US. The consequences led to the family moving from New York to Pasadena, California and in Claire's use of the name Emily. Many years later in New York, the 25 year old Claire coincidentally bumps into Clive. She has never been able to forget and let go of her beloved sister, haunted by her death, so she follows Clive, her desperate obsession driven by her need to know the truth and perhaps more pertinently her desire to get to know who exactly Alison was. As it soon becomes clear that there was far more to Alison than her limited childhood memories had led her to believe, Claire becomes disturbed by what she discovers.

Schaitkin writes a thought provoking novel, beautifully written, with heavy rich descriptions, although there are occasional jarring notes, essentially about the wide ranging repercussions on a surprisingly large number of people of Alison's death. The effects of grief and loss run so deep in her family, particularly the young Claire who grows up unable to ever get over losing her sister, which in turn leads to the unforeseen consequences later of her decision to enter Clive's life. This is a compulsive read, with themes that had me immersed in this impressive and memorable debut. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

Saint X is the best novel I have read in so long. When I wasn't reading it, I was just waiting for another window to dive back in. Alexis Schaitkin takes the tired trope of the beautiful dead girl, and twists it into a hugely compelling story, threaded through with difficult questions about the world we live in. You're drawn deeper into each character's inner world as they reflect on Alison's mysterious death. Each character is complex, believable and so well-crafted. The reader becomes hugely invested in Emily/Claire's quest to know and understand the man who might have killed her sister. Descriptions of both the Caribbean and New York landscapes are deeply evocative and richly drawn. This novel will hold onto your head long after you turn the last page, making you reflect on the ways we navigate privilege, on race in different contexts, and on the ways in which small choices and strong memories dictate so much of our lives. I can't wait for this novel to reach more readers.

This was an excellent thriller by an exciting new author that really made me think. Impressive character development along with a fascinating storyline make this book a success.

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin is a complex and dark narrative about family, privilege and how the environment we grow up in shapes our thoughts and opinions.

The story of a girl searching obsessively for the truth about her murdered sister is beautifully told through the anguish and uncertainty of the main characters and it’s easy to empathise with them both. Their backstories were fascinating and the manner in which it was written created a deep, moving narrative of two very lost souls.

I did find some of the descriptions, especially in the second part of the book, very long. I thought these descriptive passages could have been shortened without affecting the mood or messages conveyed.

Overall a beautiful story about tragic events and the detriment others’ actions have on our lives.

#netgalley #saintx #alexisschaitkin #panmacmillan

This was a gripping psychological thriller with a lot of mystery and suspense. I was really caught up with the mystery and enjoyed it but wasn’t very impressed with the ending and thought the book started to linger a little bit.

It was interesting to see the different POV’s and the story is well written and touched really interesting subjects. It does go into a lot of details and it can be quite slow paced but still enjoyable.

It is thought provoking focusing on really interesting key points but the focus on the mystery of what happened itself was a bit brought to second plan.
The news parts were really interesting and gave it a kind of “true crime” sensation that I really enjoyed and they were probably my favourite parts.

Overall, although it wasn’t my perfect read, this book is really interesting and well written with a story that will definitely make you think and I will still recommend it for fans of mystery and crime.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Panmacmillan for the opportunity to read this book prior to its releasing date in exchange for an honest review

Character driven story line that was both thrilling and a bit creepy. Well deserved of all the hype. Looking forward to more from this author.

Saint X starts off as the story of Claire, whose older sister dies on holiday on the Caribbean island of Saint X, but it ends up being so much more than that. As Claire grows older and adopts the identity of Emily, in an attempt to distance herself from her tragic past, she continues to question what really happened to Alison. When she happens to get a taxi driven by the man who served time in prison for her murder, she finally sees an opportunity to find out what happened.
Claire/Emily is a compelling character but it was Clive (the man accused of her sister’s murder) who really stood out to me. His story is just as tragic as that of Alison, and I felt Alexis Schaitkin did a beautiful job of weaving his story alongside Claire’s.
Schaitkin has a particular skill for creating an image that sticks with you- I was struck by her description of Claire entering her late sister’s bedroom and finding her mother sat alone in there, cradling a clump of hair pulled from a brush. These quiet moments of grief reflect painfully well the lifelong impact of such a tragic event.
I look forward to reading more by Alexis Schaitkin- this is an impressively accomplished debut.

This book makes you think.
It's a story that touches on the bond you have with siblings, even if circumstances beyond your control kept you apart.
Reading this makes you think about privilege and how we as individuals perceive it and how we judge others based on it.
If you are looking for a thought-provoking book with a solid and engaging plot then this one to add to your reading list.

This is what not quite what I was expecting and certainly not another ‘dead white girl’ crime thriller, more focussed on the aftermath and impact of an unsolved crime in everyone else involved. The characters are nuanced and engaging and somehow the exposition and flashbacks are intriguing rather than cheesy or clunky here. The descriptions and observations of the fictional Caribbean island are particularly strong. Really good read that pulls you in a range of different directions and manages some genuine plot surprises.

This is the story of Claire, who was seven when her idolised older sister Alison was found dead on a family holiday. As an adult, she jumps in to a cab which just happens to be driven by one of the men suspected of Alison's murder, and an obsession to discover the truth takes over Claire's life.

I'm just going to jump right in an say it - this book is brilliant. It had me gripped right from the beginning and I thought it was intelligent, layered and incredibly well written. This is not your average mystery novel, it is so much more. How people cope with loss, how circumstances shape a person, how family dynamics play out and how our perceptions of people evolve as we ourselves develop are all explored in this book, so well that the whodunnit aspect almost becomes secondary. I adored the stories of both Claire and suspected killer Clive, Schaitkin has a real talent for crafting complex characters and backstories.

This book is a slower pace of mystery, but that is what makes it such a great read. As each layer unfurls you get more involved. I love a book with depth, and this certainly has that. One of my favourite reads of the year so far.

This book is unlike anything I have read before.

The story is about a luxury island that Alison and her sister who is besotted with her, Claire.
Claire is 7 years old when Alison disappears and that memory stays with her forever.

There are strong class privilege and racism issues in this book as two islanders are accused of being involved in the disappearance.

This novel switches seamlessly between narratives, including reports and autopsy findings and never misses a beat.

It is definitely more a of a slow burn but definitely worth sticking with.

I found this book absolutely incredible and will definitely be re reading!

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Saint X is not your typical thriller. It is far more than that. A literary mystery, maybe, but however we categorise this compelling novel, it is, without doubt, a tour-de-force of the imagination of its author, Alexis Schaitkin. The narrative begins with a murder of eighteen year old Alison on the idyllic island of Saint X. Intriguingly we are given a birds-eye view of events leading up to the death, and the location of the book's main protagonists, before and after the murder. It is at this point in the novel that Schaitkin really goes through the gears as the impersonal tone of the opening scenes takes a more personal turn. We are the privileged voyeurs in the first person narratives of a number of the main protagonists - most notably Alison's little sister, Claire. Years later Claire is in the back of taxi driven by none other than Clive, who was initially implicated in Alison's murder. The fortuitous meeting, urges Claire on to find out the devastating truth of her much adored big sister's murder. The narrative holds tight to the so-far enduring mystery of the identity of Alison's murderer, but it is the contextualisation of the murder and its aftermath that really elevates this novel about others of its type. Yes, we have an eminently satisfying mystery at the heart of story. This emphatically ticks the box for lovers of crime fiction, but Saint X has more to it than that. Schaitkin writes compellingly of the very really human consequences of violent crime on those left behind nursing their unending grief. The concentric circles of violence that social theorists and novelists have written so intimately of. Not exclusive to this panorama of loss and the consequences for individual identity, is the whole fetishization of murder that has spawned the genre of true crime. This morally ambiguous universe of serving up murder for entertainment is explored forcefully here, too. Yet again, one must think, if you are reading this book you are part of this cycle, too. Food for thought....

Sublime and brilliant. I have been waiting for a novel like this for a long time.

The Thomas family from New York are very privileged and comfortably off. When daughter Alison is 18 and Claire(y) is 7 they go for a holiday to the beautiful Caribbean island of Saint X. Alison is attractive, clever, flirty and like so many of her age group, a boundary pusher. On the very last night of their holiday Alison goes missing and several days later is found dead. Although two local men - Edwin Hastie and Clive Richardson are arrested and they admit to being with her on her last night, they are released through lack of evidence. The family are understandably haunted by Alison’s loss and Claire, who changes her name to Emily, becomes obsessed with trying to find the truth about what’s happens to Alison. This takes over her life when she moves to New York to start her working life. The story is principally told from the perspectives of Claire/Emily and Clive who is also haunted by the past.

The book is about the impact of loss on a family and others who are affected by it. We witness the different stages of the Thomas family’s grief, the changing relationships within the family and how it affects them. However, it goes deeper than that as it is also about race and racism, class differences between those who live on Saint X and those who vacation there and the stark comparison of their privilege. The racism may not be intentional but it is none the less present and this is thought provoking and uncomfortable.

The parts of the book that I like the best are those on Saint X. The island and it’s people are beautifully described in language as languid as the visitors become. The sections which describe the family’s grief are very moving especially the impact on Claire as she feels like she lives in Alison’s shadow. As she grows older though I feel less connection because she stops living her life and lives vicariously though her obsession with finding her sisters truth. As we learn more about Alison I find I like her less and less. This is a real slow burner and at times I find the pace to be too slow and I’m unsure of the point of so much depth with Clive’s back story. That being said, it is an intriguing and worth while read.

Overall, a powerful, well written and thought provoking read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the ARC

This was a slow burner, the books comes from many angles and many narrators. Thus providing a rich narrative of many voices. Although it’s extremely descriptive, at times a detriment to the story line, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and eventual retelling of the main characters subsequent demise. A clever and unanticipated twist to the end of the story, cleverly done.

This was a really well-written slow-paced, character-driven thriller. I enjoyed reading it a lot. There are many themes in it and the writer reflected the emotions so well.
I'd definitely read from him again.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Alexis Schaitkin's accomplished and impressive debut , Saint X , is a memorable ,slow burning mystery that combines beautifully descriptive writing with strong characterisation and an ability to touch on complex issues of race, social class and privilege. Seven year old Claire has spent a wonderful holiday with her family on the idyllic Caribbean island of Saint X , but on the last day of their trip, her older sister Alison is nowhere to be found. It appears that she sneaked out of her room and then vanished , but when her body is found in a remote spot and two young local men who worked at the resort are arrested , it becomes a media sensation.
Years later Claire is in New York city, working in publishing, when she gets into a taxi one fateful day and recognises the driver as one of the men who was accused of killing her sister, but was not charged with the crime. This sparks a determined effort on her part to find out what really happened that night, and she becomes almost obsessed with the driver, stalking him and striking up a friendship to try to get him to confide in her.
While this might not seem the most original premise for a book, I can honestly say I have never seen it done quite so well as it is here. The narrative moves from past to present seamlessly and the occasional chapters from outside perspectives add a wonderful extra layer to the story, The writing is simply beautiful, evocative and descriptive without ever being too much , and the character development is second to none.I could feel the tropical sunshine on the island and the hustle and bustle of the city leapt from the page. I applaud how well Schiatikin describes the grief experienced by Alison's family, so many little moments ring true in a way that really resonated with me. I will admit that I found the ending a little disappointing, but not so much that it spoiled my enjoyment of the book.
I read and reviewed and ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the Publisher, all opinions are my own.

Saint X is not a fast paced, full of action and suspense thriller by any means, it is more of a slow burning mystery with an excellent character study. The book was not what I expected however it surprised me in a good way.

Our protagonist Claire is seven when her older sister Alison is found dead on the island of Saint X while vacationing with the family. Two male resorts employees have been arrested but shortly released due to no involvement in her death. 20 years later Claire accidentally bumps onto one of the suspects and becomes obsessed with finding out the truth behind Alison’s murder.

One thing I can most definitely say about this book is the brilliant character development and portraying of the complexity of multiple themes: race, upper class privilege, aftermaths of the death. The novel does not really focus on a murder mystery, it’s more an exploration of the grief and an impact of Alison’s death onto the life of many people. I also really enjoyed the description of the island itself and and the local life, I felt almost transported to the beach of Saint X.

My only concern is that at some points the novel was overly descriptive and some parts felt a bit too lengthy to me.

I would definitely recommend picking this one up if you are looking for a unique thriller.

I took too long to write this review and it’s probably going to show. I finished the book earlier this week and well, because of the weird schedule I have, I am pretty sure I am forgetting to add some part, the notes I made don’t indicate that but the feeling is still there. So…I apologise for that.

I think Saint X is a brilliant little gem of a book that I am so glad that I read. The book starts with a family vacationing on some non-existing island but goodness, the author did such a great job of detailing everything and painting such a picture that I almost Googled the island. The story really starts when Alison is, first missing and then, found dead away from her family and leaving behind a devastated family. Alison is perhaps not likable and I kinda like that? She’s a privileged teenager and it shows.

Claire, her younger sister, really cared for her sister and is absolutely devastated to hear that her sister is not coming back. Claire is seven years old when her sister dies. The story really gets going when Claire is an adult and living in New York. She actually ends up bumping into one of the suspects from her sister’s case and that catapults her into a discovery of many things. Just as Alison wasn’t a likable character, Claire isn’t a perfectly likable character and I am seriously glad of it.

In fact, now that I remember I didn’t like any of the characters but I liked that they were interesting and the author’s writing really did wonders for keeping my attention engaged. I think for a debut novel, the author really put together such a great character study that also included thoughts on race, privilege and class. Schaitkin’s writing is such a huge part of why I liked the book and it’s a pity that I can’t explain in words how much I loved it. So, I can only say that, please, if you can, read this book.

I am so glad that I got an early access to the book despite the fact that I am very, very late to reading and reviewing it.

I was lured into this one by all the hype I was seeing on social media so I needed to se for myself what the fuss was about! For me it was a mix of crime thriller and family mystery / drama which I liked and it touched on a lot of current issues such as race, privilege, social class and family relations, very appropriate for the current times we are living in. The book switches between past and present and I loved seeing how the characters developed over the chapters. The author uses a very descriptive writing style which adds great depth to the book and although I was slightly disappointed by the ending overall it was a very good read.
thank you netaglley for this ARC

Let me start by saying on a sentence level this novel is staggeringly good. I particularly enjoyed the opening and found it such a compelling beginning that it shouldn't be that surprising that it was a little bit downhill from there for me.

There were a few to many attempts at dark, 'you'll never believe what happened next, what I did, the dark depths of my soul' in the middle and later sections that sort of went nowhere. These attempts at foreboding foreshadowing, as well as my preconceptions of what this novel was are part of the reason that this felt like a bit of a letdown in the end.

That said, for its ability to capture the idea of the unknowable depths of everyone in such lush prose means that this can be nothing lower than 4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Claire is only 7 when her older sister Alison disappears on the last night of a family vacation on the Caribbean island of Saint X.
Alison's body is found a few days later and two local men are suspects in her death.
Years later, Claire meets one of the men who was a suspect and what ensues is her obsessive pursuit of the truth.
This book is a slow burn, character study that has exquisite photographic detailed writing. It allows the reader to formulate views on racism, class and privilege.
I did find both the girls pretentious and therefore hard to connect with but overall a great read
Thank you @picadorbooks and @panmacmillan for the opportunity to read this book.

Alexis Schaitkin has written a novel which initially seems deceptively predictable and herein lies it's sucker punch. On the surface this is the story of the disappearance of a college girl during a Caribbean family vacation. Fortunately it's much more.

On the last day of her vacation at a luxury resort on the fictitious island of Saint X eighteen year-old Alison Thomas disappears. Days later her body is found on a remote cay and two local men who worked at the resort the family was staying are arrested. Both were seen with Alison the night of her disappearance at a local bar, but are released due to lack of evidence. What remains unknown are the circumstances surrounding her death and the reasons behind it.

Full review here: https://wanderingwestswords.wordpress.com/2020/07/14/saint-x-alexis-schaitkin/

Thank you to Picador and NetGalley for approving me to read 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐗 by Alexis Schaitkin.
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𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮
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I've seen online and on GoodReads that Saint X has some really mixed reviews. However, I really liked this book, and without giving away any of the plot, I found the way the story played out to be quite refreshing.
I know that when people read mysteries, they want to be entertained, and usually they are looking for the twists and turns or the big reveal. This story felt a lot more realistic to me.
Often in real life things aren't overly dramatic; things that happen can feel disappointing, anti-climatic, and we often don't get closure.
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𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡! 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭? 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭?
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The different character perspectives throughout the book were interesting. Information is relayed to the reader in a variety of ways, from diary entries, to news archives, to first person relay and memory.
There were subtle themes running through the book, including themes of grief, love, racism and classism.
I particularly liked the parallels and similarities between Alison's behaviour, coupled with her judgement of her parents. In some way she seems to think of herself as 'woke' - a real white saviour - but her behaviour is performative and she is still looking to use other people for her own benefit or for an interesting story to tell.
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𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭, 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
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In my view, this book will really resonate with people who have experienced grief or trauma in relation to someone very close to them.
The myriad ways that people find to cope (admittedly extreme in this story) are so personal, and so all consuming at times.
Grief, love, and the portrayal of people was depicted so well throughout the book, in such an honest way.
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𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 ... 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞'𝐬 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬
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I can see why this book wouldn't be to everyone's taste as it is more of a slow burn, and if you are looking for a fast paced thriller-type mystery with twists and turns this isn't going to be what you're looking for.
Instead, the revelations are more gentle, and the relationships between characters often painful, gritty and honest.
What shines for me throughout Saint X is the subtleties, and the truths it tells about people and life.
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𝐖𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
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I would definitely read more books by Alexis Schaitkin, and I would recommend Saint X.
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𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞