Review - 'She Started It' by Sian Gilbert


She invited us all here for a reason. We're not just going to enjoy a holiday and then go home.
Every once in a while, I get the itch to pick up a psychological thriller. That exciting premise! The jaw-dropping twists and turns! And so I get my popcorn ready and prepare to be amazed.

But I should've known. Yes, this story was an entertaining diversion, but unfortunately it didn't really deliver in terms of surprises. And so yet again, my jaw remains firmly closed.

Four friends receive the invitation of a lifetime. The girl they used to bully in school is getting married, and she's inviting them to an all expenses paid holiday on a tropical island for her hen party. Of course these four women saw nothing strange or sinister about this request, and they accept the generous offer posthaste. But what happens when they arrive and things start to go wrong?

I found the beginning of this book riveting. But then as time went on, my attention started to flag. Part of the problem is that I had some trouble differentiating between the four women. They all have the same voice and the same self-centered vileness. And since the chapters alternate between each of their perspectives, I kept getting them and their secrets mixed up.

Also, not much happens for quite a while. There is the promise of secrets and impending doom, but nothing actually happens until more than halfway through. In the meantime, it's a lot of shallow drama and posturing, all of which isn't that exciting.

Then once we get to the twists and turns, I just wasn't surprised. Here's the problem—when there are only five people on the island, there's not that many ways this can go. Not to mention the beginning gives away part of the ending on purpose, and I've already seen similar things before in other mysteries. So all told, I saw every twist and turn in here coming from a mile away.

No doubt this was a decently fun way to spend a few hours. But how much you'll be surprised will depend on what you've seen before, and unfortunately for me, I've already seen it all.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

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