Thrillers are one of my favorite genres to read (romance is my top genre), so I try to accept any and all requests that end up in my inbox. So, I didn’t hesitate when Random House sent me the invite for Ladykiller. I was taken in by the blurb and the cover (which is gorgeous). But now that I have finished the book, I am slightly disappointed.
There are two interconnected storylines in Ladykiller. The first centers on Gia and is told through a manuscript. The second storyline centers on Abby (and later Benny) and their search for Gia. Both storylines merge towards the end of the book. That merger and the events afterward made me go from really liking the book to feeling “meh” about it.
The storyline centered on Gia was interesting to read. The author provided a lot of information in those chapters of the manuscript. Gia came across as very trusting and, if I dare say it, a little naive. But that notion was blown away when she caught onto her husband’s duplicity. The end of her storyline was left up in the air, and I honestly didn’t know what to believe by the end of the book.
The storyline that centered on Abby was more straightforward than Gia’s. Abby seemed to be a straight shooter. But, after Sweden, there was something different about her. Her secrets ate her alive, and Greece was the center of everything. I found Abby boring. She wavered with her feelings for Benny. Her friendship with Gia was like a remora (right from the book), and I wish that she had taken the advice she was given.
As I said above, when the two storylines merge, I started to feel “meh” about the book. There was no lead into Gia’s disappearance nor clues as to where she could be. I also didn’t believe that everyone in that house disappeared without a trace or that the local authorities would let an outsider take over the investigation. I could have dealt with that and with not knowing who to believe. I would have been happy with the author’s half, no, and semi-explanations. But the epilogue made me go from “good book” to “meh.” It was too much.
The mystery angle of Ladykiller was truly that—a mystery. Because Gia was unreliable and her manuscript embellished, I had a hard time believing her story. I also had a hard time believing Abby’s story once both twists were revealed. Yes, there are two twists, and both I did see coming.
The end of Ladykiller was interesting. The author wrapped up one storyline but left the other storylines wide open. In a way, it is genius. I will never know what the real truth is, only what Abby precieves is the truth. And I don’t even believe that.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Katherine Wood for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Ladykiller. All opinions stated in this review are mine.