Home » She Started It: A Novel by Sian Gilbert | REVIEW

She Started It: A Novel by Sian Gilbert | REVIEW

This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

She Started It: A NovelShe Started It: A Novel by Sian Gilbert
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Publisher: William Morrow / HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Goodreads
Source: From the Publisher
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Rating: ★★★★½
Synopsis:

A hot, twisty summer debut thriller about a group of young women whose Caribbean bachelorette party takes a sinister turn. It’s Lord of the Flies meets And Then There Were None...but with Instagram and too much prosecco.

The party of a lifetime is nothing like what they expected...

Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe are best friends—or were, as children. Despite drifting apart in adulthood, shared secrets have kept them bonded for better or worse, even as their childhood dreams haven’t quite turned out as they’d hoped. Then one day they receive a wholly unexpected—but not entirely unwelcome—invitation from another old friend. Poppy Greer has invited them all to her extravagant bachelorette party: a first-class plane ticket to three days of white sand, cocktails, and relaxation on a luxe private island in the Bahamas.

None of them has spoken to Poppy in years. But Poppy’s Instagram pics shows that the girl they used to consider the weakest link in their group has definitely made good—and made money. Curiosity gets the better of them. Besides, who can turn down a posh all-expenses-paid vacation on a Caribbean island?

The first-class flight and the island’s accommodations are just as opulent as expected...even if the scenic island proves more remote than they’d anticipated. Quite remote, in fact, with no cell service, and no other guests. The women quickly discover they’ve underestimated Poppy, and each other. As their darkest secrets are revealed, the tropical adventure morphs into a terrifying nightmare.

Endlessly twisty, sharply observant, and deliciously catty, She Started It is sure to shock readers until the very end.


REVIEW

Wow. To say that revenge is best-served cold is an understatement when it comes to She Started It: A Novel by Sian Gilbert. This book is far-fetched, unrealistic, and incredibly satisfying. It’s been a while since I wanted to applaud after finishing a book, especially one that tackles heavy topics like bullying and murder. But the petty part of me couldn’t help but cheer on ‘Poppy’ throughout the story.

All the women in this book are absolutely despicable. One would hope that we outgrow our obnoxious behaviour from high school, but not these women. If anything, they’ve become worse as they’ve grown older. They are rotten to the core, psychotic, and possibly sociopathic as well. They are horrible to others, horrible to each other, and horrible to themselves. I must admit that witnessing their downfall brought me joy.

There were plenty of twists throughout the story to keep even the most jaded mystery/thriller enthusiast satisfied. Only the fact that I had been awake since 4 a.m. prevented me from finishing this in one sitting. This would be a fantastic beach read this summer and should be added to everyone’s to-be-read list.

A huge thanks to Edelweiss, William Morrow, and HarperAudio for providing both the eGalley and the advanced audiobook version. The narration of the audiobook is excellent, and each narrator truly brought their characters to life.

Share: