The Siren by Katherine St. John

 

After being lucky enough to receive an ARC of the author's first work, THE LION'S DEN, I knew I was going to have to read anything she published next. THE SIREN takes a while to get moving and the multiple narrators take some getting used to, but once the plot slowly starts rolling, I found that I couldn't put this book down. Like THE LION'S DEN, this book reads half like a Jackie Collins fairytale of Hollywood excess (and its dark underside), and half like a charming locked room mystery from the days of yore.

I don't want to say too much about the premise, but basically, Stella is an actress whose career is on the rocks who is hoping to make a comeback with a new hit movie and maybe a new memoir. Felicity is her gorgeous and mysterious young assistant. And Taylor is a young director with daddy issues who is hoping to make a hit movie to get some cred. All three women are involved with the project, but each has a secret ulterior motive for doing so, and as a dangerous storm moves into the tropical island where they're filming, the danger and distraction may provide fertile grounds for... REVENGE.

So, I mean, obviously I really liked the book. It reminded me a lot of THE GUEST LIST, which was another "rich people gone mad" mystery that I found myself enjoying way more than I thought I would. One of the things I've learned about myself recently is that I really enjoy books that focus on the connections and relationships between characters, especially if the plot ends up being the vehicle that turns up all of those deliciously dusty secrets that the main character(s) were hoping would stay buried. This is purely escapist reading and I think if you know that going in, you're going to enjoy the book a lot more, because I think people are going to hype this book up as being THE BEST MYSTERY EVER (as book bloggers do), and it really isn't a shocker. I predicted several of the big twists.

But it's compulsively written with fascinating characters and a really great location, so take this book with a tiny pinch of salt as you suck it down like a poolside margarita.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

4 out of 5 stars