This was a recommended read in Red Magazine (a frequent source of book recommendations for me!) so I was delighted to be granted an advance review copy via NetGalley. Here’s the blurb:

“Six friends.
The holiday of their dreams.
One night that changed it all . . .
1989: The tunes are loud and the clothes are louder when a group of friends arrives in Mallorca for a post-graduation holiday of decadence and debauchery at a luxury villa.
A beach party marks the pinnacle of their fun, until it isn’t fun any longer. Because amidst the wild partying – sand flying from dancing feet and revellers leaping from yachts – an accident happens. Suddenly, the night of a lifetime becomes a living nightmare.
Now: The truth about that summer has been collectively buried. But someone knows what happened that night.
And they want the friends to pay for what they did.”

I have to say I struggled with the book initially. After the initial few current day pages, it felt like we were thrown into the 1989 holiday without having a clue who all of the ‘cast members’ were. Names were mentioned like you should know what the relationship between them all was – and no back stories given. The back stories did reveal themselves during the book – but I found it weirdly discombobulating at the start. (No other review I’ve read have said this – so maybe it’s just me? I was also reading it on my phone not my Kindle – as for some reason NetGalley wouldn’t permit this to be sent to Kindle – so maybe that was a contributing factor and it’s not the book’s fault at all?!? Plus I was reading The Fifth Guest by Jenny Knight on my Kindle at the same time, which had a similar cast of characters and premise.)

The group have graduated from Birmingham Uni (my hometown, so very much enjoyed some of the Brummie references!) and have headed off to Nina’s family’s swanky villa in Majorca. The description of the villa and Spanish countryside is excellent, and you can really imagine being there (those steep steps down to the water make me feel a bit squeamish even now as I don’t like heights!)

Nina is most definitely Queen Bee – with the others all part of her harem. Whilst I was only 15 in 1989 – the descriptions of the era are brilliant – and really evoke that time. There are clearly various issues between different members of the group of ‘friends’ – and these start to become evident during the holiday – peaking in the drama during and after the beach party (no spoilers here!)

I felt the pace really picked up then – in the aftermath of the incidents – and it was exciting to read what was going to happen next!

The group – or some of them (intrigue!) – are then reunited 30+ years later, to discuss the fall out from that fateful 1980s night.

The plot twists and turns loads, some of these I guessed, some I didn’t (I like that in a book – I want to be able to guess some storylines so I feel smug – but also be shocked by some of the outcomes so it’s not predictable!) but after my initial misgivings, I really did enjoy this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. The book came out a few weeks ago – and will make a perfect sunbed read (although maybe not if you’re in Majorca?!)