Long Weekend: A Locked-Room Psychological Thriller

by S.M. Thomas

An exclusive invitation to a luxurious island resort should be the holiday of a lifetime for Emma. But beneath the lavish settings and indulgent amenities, lies a sinister plot waiting to be uncovered.

Emma's boss, Rebecca, gifted her the ticket to Hotel Horizen's grand opening, but Emma has her own agenda - to write a tell-all article about the rich and famous guests. Little did she know, this weekend would become a nightmare she never could have imagined.

As she delves deeper into the secrets of the elite, Emma realises she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Will she uncover the truth and make her mark as a journalist, or will she become the next victim in this twisted game of power and deception?

If you enjoyed "The Guest List" by Lucy Foley or “One by One” by Ruth Ware, you won't want to miss this gripping thriller.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2024

About the author

SM Thomas (known in the real world as Steph) is a British author from Somerset who specialises in gripping psychological thrillers and suspense novels

Writing since she “could hold a pencil,” she’s known for crafting twisty, immersive worlds that keep readers on edge

When she’s not plotting her next page-turner, you may find her with her nose buried in a book, or dancing around her living room to Beyoncé

Her 'Paige Hanson' series builds an addictive arc of mystery and sacrifice, while her standalone thrillers like 'My Sister’s Downfall' and 'Long Weekend' stand out for their psychological depth and tense plotting.

Whether through government conspiracies, damaged relationships, or isolated settings, Steph brings a compelling blend of tension, heart, and unexpected turns.

Reviews

[Gali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the vacation-gone-wrong trope, so I eagerly picked up this book after reading the premise. "Long Weekend" by S.M. Thomas is an atmospheric thriller where the reader is left in the dark, just as much as the narrator.

The book follows Emma Jones' first-hand account of her long weekend stay at a super-exclusive resort set on a small private island. Emma is the right-hand assistant of the wealthy (and cheap) Rebecca March. When she asks for a raise, Rebecca refuses and offers her instead to take her place at the exclusive event opening of Hotel Horizen. Emma accepts and plans to write an expose on the wasted decadence of the rich and famous to kick off her writing career. Arriving at the private plane waiting for her and the other travelers, she meets the five other guests. Meet:

* Fiona Appleton - who manages her family's money printing press.
* Robert Castro - a famous actor who comes from a long line of famous actors.
* Lucas Jones - a millionaire influencer with an agenda.
* Michael Samson - a corrupt ex-politician.
* Penny Atwell - the world's most successful television host.

At the resort, Emma meets the manager, Stephen, and his assistant, Sam. They aren't pleased to see her in place of her boss, but they allow her to stay nonetheless. And then, the killing begins... The guests are targeted by a mysterious foe, and none is safe.

That's all I'm going to say about the plot to avoid spoilers. I enjoyed the tale and the "And Then There Were None" vibes. I didn't figure out who was behind it, and I enjoyed the reveal at the end. I also appreciated the setting and the tense atmosphere. The book definitely generated the needed atmosphere to carry off such a tale. The tension was palpable, and I felt I was right there alongside the characters running back and front like a rabbit from one place to another.

Although none of the characters were likable, to say the least, I didn't feel they deserved their fate. Emma was fickle; she kept changing her mind and her heart, and was too naive and quick to judge, making the wrong choices. Still, I rooted for her. My only issue is with the ending. It felt forced and rushed, and I didn't care for it, to boot. Although everything was explained at the end, I would have liked a tighter ending. In addition, I am tired of individuals escaping consequences for actions that should not go unpunished as was the case here.

Overall, it is a great plot with realistic characterization and entertainment value. The plot moves at a fast pace and is combined with a writing style that provides vivid mental pictures of the characters and settings without being overly tedious. I enjoyed the book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars due to the issues I mentioned above. I recommend the book to those who enjoy intense reads and aren't bothered by detestable characters and violence.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

* Review in my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2024...

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this fast-paced atmospheric thriller! I enjoyed the many unexpected twists and the “and then there were none” vibe. I loved the resort setting and the constant sense of foreboding. I was definitely on the edge of my seat. Thank you BookSirens for my copy.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Emma is pretending to be rich to fit in with everyone on this private island in hopes of writing a story comparing their lives… but everyone around her is dying.

This book was easy to read and left me wanting more and more at the end of each chapter. The pace was fast, the action was packed, and the twists were not easily predictable. I wanted more descriptions of the private island written in the story to give it more scenery but the action made up for that.

Emma didn’t act like the typical dumb main character of a thriller. She was almost likable but she kept making it known to the reader that she was so different from the rich and she’s so poor.

The epilogue blew my mind I did not see that coming and my jaw dropped.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and S.M. Thomas for this ARC of Long Weekend!

[Richard Dominguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I loved this audio book gifted to me by the author S.M. Thomas. The Long Weekend is a "And Then There Were None" type murder mystery with more than it's share of twist and turns and some very original takes of it's own.
The story revolves around Hotel Horizon an exclusive island resort for the rich and famous. A beautiful island that becomes a killing grounds. The guest one by one are being murdered and the story, due to clues and events at first for me had a paranormal feel to it.
The characters are excellent and even though they are all celebrity in common are as diverse as can be. As the story moves forwards the characters layers peel back revealing more of their characteristics, making for likable and unlikable characters.
The story has a wonderfully steady pace, even after the killings begin allowing for the reader to savor every moment of the story as it unfolds. I would also venture to guess the author had spent sometime on an island resort. Her descriptions of the island and the resort have a sense of reality that make them both easy to picture, yet she does not overload the reader which to much description that bores and takes attention away from the true story.
When the story begins the Long Weekend is over and a publisher relates what happened from the notes left behind by one of the guest (?), but once the narration gets to the island it is told by the view of the guest who left behind the notes, I really enjoyed this shift in view.
As I listened to the audio it was very apparent to me that this villain had to be completely mad, but it wasn't until I reached the epilogue that I realized the level of insanity the book was dealing with (the hairs on my neck stood up).
This would make a great movie, if it could be left alone and presented the way it is, but that is seldom the case with movie making.
If I have any reservation at all it is that I prefer audio books that have multiple actors as opposed to one person doing all the voices. That is a personal preference and not a judgement about the audio book itself.
This is an easy, very easy recommend to anyone who enjoys a good read regardless of the genre.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m slightly torn here.

I liked our main character and enjoyed most of our book.

The mystery was compelling and I was so very curious as to the who and why of everything.

And I did not enjoy the truth of everything. I found the reason behind everything to be a little ho hum and the who behind everything even more so. I was just kind of…nonplussed. Like…that’s it?

I would try the author again and I really did love our not-at-all rich woman living the life of the 1%, but the book just left me a little cold in the end.

• ARC via Publisher

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there any way to bottle up the feeling you get when you read about a reality show on an island and things go wrong? It seems to be the sub-genre I’ve been reading the most this year. Locked door books do something to me, this one for sure didn’t disappoint. I felt like h was in a bush near by snooping on the characters.

The twists keep you turning the pages so you can find out what’s going on. and if the main character is going to be found out.

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and SM Thomas for an eARC for a honest review of the book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited by this “locked room” concept but I don’t think it was as original as I was hoping for. Several of the plot developments I have seen in similar stories and this made the novel seem a bit tired and repetitive. I also didn’t like the protagonist, Emma, and thought the female characters of Fiona and Penny a bit too similar.

Emma is not supposed to be on this rich, exclusive getaway. However, her boss couldn’t make it (it’s never really explained why which is a bit of a shame, I thought this was an opportunity for a super surprising plot development). Emma knows she is an outsider to her wealthy travel companions, but they don’t seem to notice because they are so self-absorbed. This deception is the basis of the story as it is clear that all the other characters have secrets that they are trying to keep hidden from the public eye. I would have liked the writer to have expanded on the recruitment process to Hotel Horizen, rather than explaining it as based on wealth alone.

The first death of the story takes place with no apparent witnesses. Following this, I felt like certain developments were too convenient: not being able to regain access to the mobile phones stored in the safe; the police cannot get to the island because the sea is too “choppy” (despite the fact that it seems to be blazing sunshine with few storms); there is no apparent motive for the following murders, leaving the remaining characters running around the island like headless chickens. In my opinion, this made the narrative far less exciting because I don’t think there were enough surprises: it was like watching characters being picked off at random.

What I did enjoy was the style of narrative and I found the ending to be unexpected. The story opens with a report from a legal team. This establishes that the following pages are based on Emma’s notebook that she completes whilst the island is falling apart. The closing chapter again returns to the legal team and I liked how everything was summarised. However, the Epilogue was a great surprise and added a bit of excitement to the story – exactly what I was looking for with the rest of the narrative.

Personally, I don’t think there were too many unique elements to the story. I guess this is one of the problems of reading so many novels! I found Emma’s attitude to be a bit irritating, especially when in the midst of a crisis, she appears to be more interested in flirting with one of the travellers and establishing a relationship. Some of the developments felt too far-fetched and convenient to not have the authorities involved, so it is a shame the writer hadn’t created a tale that was more unexpected. Furthermore, the lengthy paragraphs from Emma’s perspective meant the story was quite slow in its development, reducing my interest in the characters.

This is an easy read, not too long and with a predictable outcome: plenty of deaths and no authority involvement. It is one you can imagine casually watching on television. However, whilst there is some entertainment to the story, I was hoping for something that was more thrilling and unexpected.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 (rounded up to 5)

this book was so easy to read and get into. it really had me guessing and guessing over who the killer could’ve been even down to the epilogue, at least until the last line. i loved how none of the characters were actual good people and they all had different levels of evil in them. the twists kept me entertained, as well as all the issues that popped up. my main issue with anything in the book is it got a bit repetitive with certain things, like how emma wasn’t rich and was surrounded by rich privileged people or how emma had it much harder than the celebrities or how she was so different from them. it just seemed to be repeated a bit too much when it was easy to pick up on after the first couple times it was mentioned. other than that i loved it and can’t wait to get all my friends to read it!

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Long Weekend
By SM Thomas

ARC Copy Review

Emma is given the chance to go to an exclusive island resort with some of the worlds most rich and famous people. But what is supposed to be a paradise turns into a living hell.

I want to start out this review by saying I do not like to tear people down. I understand how hard writing a book is and I admire anyone who has the willpower to start and finish one. I also want to point out that reviews (at least and especially mine) are based on opinion and how much enjoyment the book brings. Not on superior knowledge of what should have been written and how. So what I say in this review is my personal opinion.

The Long Weekend is about Emma, an office assistant who is gifted a ticket to an exclusive island resort by her boss in lieu of a raise or promotion. One of the most important parts of a book to me is how I feel about the protagonist. I could not stand Emma. From the beginning to the end she is one of the most wishy-washy, two faced characters I have ever read about. Her opinion changes from sentence to sentence and her convictions are non-existent. She would just know about a person's motivations and personality in one sentence and then in the next she would come to an opposite conclusion.

She starts out with one goal in mind and within a page she has thrown that out the window for the moment because someone looked at her or said something to her. She is in love with them from the get go until the next person says hi. At least that is how it felt to me and it just seemed to be the same cycle over and over. When one of her actions in a previous relationship is talked about I lost all respect and any last spec of motivation I had to root for this character. And when you are the main character in a murder mystery, that is a bad thing. I have a hard time describing how I felt about the other characters because of how much I disliked Emma, it was annoyingly distracting and overwhelming but I do know I liked all of them better than her.

The pace of the book was fine. It is basically another version of books like And Then There Were None or The Decagon House but with characters that make choices that just boggled my mind. I don't want to give away any spoilers but there were decisions that had me frowning and saying "what?" out loud. There were events that didn't make sense to me and again, the constant opinion flipping of Emma just took me completely out of the book. At one point comments are made about men and how something they do in the book isn't a very good idea within a couple paragraphs of the commenting person having done the same thing. There may be some things I still have questions about that were explained perfectly well in the book, but I was so focused on other things that I didn't enjoy I somehow missed them.

I've seen the book compared to One By One by Ruth Ware. While I have not read One By One yet, I have read three of her other books and the only thing other than a secluded setting I felt they had in common was a main character I didn't particularly care for (in two of the Ruth Ware books).

I know I'm being very critical of the book but I'm also leaving out specifics that I feel justify my criticisms because I don't want to add any spoilers. I will say this though, I was mostly satisfied with the ending and I admire SM Thomas for the time she committed to writing the book. I also did laugh out loud and one part of the book because it was genuinely funny. But this book just wasn't for me.

Would I recommend the book to friends and family, no. I did not enjoy my time reading it and because of that it felt like it was longer than it actually was. Does that mean you shouldn't read it? No, absolutely not. Make up your own mind. What I didn't enjoy you might love and SM Thomas obviously spent a lot of time working on the book.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so, so for me. It was a 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars. I felt compelled to keep reading even though I really wanted to DNF this 20% in. It wasn’t a spectacular read but it got better as the story went along. I will try this author again.

[Sarah (sarwestyreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bingable book with a whodunnit twist. I liked the character development of each 'celebrity,' which felt like a loose term for this group. I did feel like there was some holes in the story but overall a good quick read.

[Shauntelle (shauntellereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing like being deserted at a resort with deplorable characters! It's a twist on the "locked room" trope. This story has a good plot with lots of entertainment. I feel this would make a great movie. There was lots of action and drama. I didn't like any of the characters, except for the main character, Emma.

This was a fast read that had me actively listening and trying to figure out the plot twist, which was not at all what I was expecting. I enjoyed following the story and trying to predict who the villain(s) were. The epilogue by the murderer was *chef's kiss*!

Thank you to the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published April 16, 2024.

Emma Jones, a personal assistant, is headed to the luxurious Hotel Horizen with its six exclusive apartments for their grand opening weekend. This is a gift from her boss, Rebecca, in lieu of a raise. While there Emma is going to strike out on her own and write an article about the rich and famous guests staying there but her plans are for naught when someone is murdered on their first night on the island. Then it’s a race to try to see who might be next.

This book, just, no. The writing was OK, it was just the plotting and characters…were these supposed to be actual adult people? Emma is thirty two years old and is unsure about whether you can drink seawater? People are being murdered and she thinks it’s a good time to hook up? Like to old saying goes, some people are just too stupid to live, and that goes not only for Emma, but for everyone on the island. And some of these people are supposed to be rich and successful? Not buying it. I generally like this setup, but this was a huge miss for me. Oh, and why is “Horizen” spelled like that? Drove me crazy.

[Tamara Kazaks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of this book. Publish date April 16, 2024.

Long Weekend is a “vacation gone wrong” / “locked door” thriller, which are always fun tropes. It was a fast paced thriller, with a lot going on from the first evening the guests arrive on the island. I loved that not much is given away in terms of who is responsible for everything taking place. I had some guesses, but every time something new happened I thought, “Well, there goes that theory.” It truly left me guessing the entire time. I couldn’t put it down. Every free minute I had was spent reading this book. Thomas’ writing style was easy to follow. Her writing allowed the reader to visualize the scenery and carnage, without being over done and drawn out.

While the book was fast paced, I felt it was missing something in terms of smaller twists, if that makes sense. Many thrillers consist of smaller twists with the big reveal at the end. Long Weekend didn’t really have that. For me, it was more of who the killer isn’t rather than hinting at who it could be. Everything was up in the air for me until the epilogue. That leads me to the big reveal. The twist didn’t leave me blown away. The plot leading up to it was entertaining and suspenseful. Unfortunately, I felt a little underwhelmed. The “who” part was a bit surprising and I honestly didn’t really suspect it. But the “why” felt a bit meh, like a woe-is-me reason. But maybe that’s what’s supposed to make it shocking.

Despite the ending being less than ideal for me, Long Weekend was still a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience reading it. If you like books like “And Then There Were None”, then give this one a go.

[Nic Mauceri]

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! Long Weekend by SR Thomas will be available April 16, 2024!

I liked the start of the book, how it essentially is presented as a true crime story and introduces the rest of the book as the retelling of events as Emma experienced them. That was a good hook from the start. The story itself definitely gave “And Then There Were None” vibes.

This might just be me, but throughout the first few chapters and then at various time throughout the book, all the paragraphs were the same length and it made me feel like I was reading an essay.

I also found Emma to not be very likable. The hook up scene was questionable; people are dying on an island and you can’t keep their hands off each other? If I were in that scenario I’d be frantically shoving things into bags and hightailing out of there. But I guess we all make poor decisions? Lol

It was a short thriller, under 250 pages but it was a good length for the story to unfold itself. I feel like any longer and it would have dragged on. Nice quick read, finished it in ~24 hours! Check it out and see what you think of Long Weekend!

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It's hard to resist a thriller with a tropical cover, and this vacation gone very wrong theme gripped me from the start. As an added bonus, it has a compelling ending that makes the read worthwhile.

Emma, the m.c., is hyper focused on her status as a normie, and under the circumstances, this is understandable. After all, she's the lone non-ultra wealthy guest staying at a swanky hotel - Hotel Horizon - for the titular long weekend. While some of the other guests appear to have far reaching connections and others appear new to each other, Emma works hard to find her footing in the group. She comes prepared with a somewhat flimsy backstory about how and why she's here, but she doesn't get too far with her efforts to merge before folks start dying all around her.

The premise is intriguing and while not necessarily packed with surprises, it does have that aforementioned intriguing closing. I was engaged throughout the read - if, at times, a little over Emma's self-critical nature - and I'd absolutely check out more from this author.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[AndiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma jumps at the opportunity to fill in for her boss for a luxury weekend! Rebecca continues to deny her raise request and Emma is barely making ends meet in her job. When the opporutnity to attend an opening weekend at Hotel Horizon is gifted to her Emma she concocts a secret plan to write an article that goes behind the scenes and reveals the life of the ultra rich. This way she can relax and enjoy but also further her journalism career.

When she boards the private plan she cannot believe who joins here. Pretty soon she forgets why she is there and is enjoying the company of the rich and famous. When one turns up dead however, she realizes that there might be more to this celebratory weekend and her life might be in jeopardy.

I love, love, loved this novel and you will too. Sometimes I wanted Emma to be a bit more curious (I know I was) but I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. This is a must read for all thriller readers and lovers of Vacation-gone-wrong reads!
#booksgosocial #smthomas #longweekend

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC (audiobook) of LONG WEEKEND directly from the author for an honest review.

SM Thomas masterfully crafts a tale that transforms a dream opportunity into a chilling nightmare. The plot's unexpected turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and Emma's character development is truly captivating. A must-read for those craving a thrilling escape into the darker side of paradise!

[Melissa T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long Weekend follows the story of Emma, a woman who is gifted a dream weekend getaway by her employer. Upon boarding her plane she finds herself whisked away to a lavish private island with some of the world's most rich and famous. When Emma checks in, the staff mention numerous times that she isn't supposed to be there but allow her to check in anyway. Dinner goes great, the drinks are flowing and romances get heated, that is until an unexpected death on the island. Things go from bad to worse quickly. Who can Emma trust on this island where everyone seems to have a secret?

This book was so freaking good! It went from good to twisted so quickly. I had a feeling of uneasiness for most of this read. It kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end of the epilogue. My jaw was on the floor so many times. Things turned constantly and I was always left guessing who was being truthful. The characters were perfect, the story moved quickly and I could not get enough of the suspense.

This book is a must read if you love suspenseful thrillers!!

I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy for free and this was my honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley for this eARC. Long Weekend by SM Thomas was an addicting thriller that I couldn't put down. Emma is an assistant who was gifted an ultra luxury weekend by her boss on a secluded island. She is surrounded with celebrities including her teenage actor crush. It seems like it will be the weekend from her dreams until the end of the first evening. One of the guests is found dead and it looks like murder. Soon everyone is being hunted and everyone is a suspect. I highly recommend this!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the long weekend by SM Thomas we meet Emily she is an assistant to a multi millionaire and in Lou of a raise her boss gives her a invatation to an exclusive resorts soft opening. It will be attended by an American actor named Robert, a financial wiz and a beauty named Fiona Appleton, the worlds nicest woman and TV host named Penny, a YouTube star name Luke and the canceled British politician and womanizer name Michael. On the plane at first everyone seems to be who Emily proceeds them to be Michael hits on the cabin crew ROBERT it’s as gorgeous as he ever was Fiona Appleton is slowly but surely causing Emily to have a girl crush but throughout the plane ride she notices the nicest woman in the world Penny seems to have a total dislike for the gorgeous ROBERT at first YouTuber Lucas seems a bit standoffish but on the island at dinner that night Emily gets to talk to him and sees he is a kind person and a busy entertainer so she isn’t prepared when her and two other guests find him deceased hanging from a rope. She cannot believe Luke would kill his self but once he looks around and see if there was nothing for him to stand on to jump off and hang himself she knows it was murder only he will not be the last and eventually it will be a game of cat and mouse only in this game it seems the cat may be pretending to be a mouse, I hope that makes sense because it sounded so clever in my mind. This was such a great entertaining book and one I couldn’t get a fix on the culprit this is a book I totally recommend to any one who loves remote location disasters and great thrillers. I love SM Thomas ‘ books and if true to form this is just the first in a series and OMG the way it ended I believe that’s what’s happening and I hope it is because I love her books her page Hansen stories were so good and setting this one with such a great conspiracy theory atn exclusive resort was such a great idea. I want to thank Books go social and net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Morgan Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good twisty thriller!
This book was a pretty easy and quick read, and I enjoyed the take of a fancy vacation gone wrong. Put me in the summer feels, which is definitely where I’m at right now!
I liked Emma for the most part, much different than the vapid, rich and famous she was pretending to be a part of. Nothing turned out the way Emma wanted it, but that’s the joy of a thriller

Thank you to NetGalley and S.M. Thomas for this ARC of Long Weekend!

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
A luxury weekend on a private island is given to Emma by her boss and she's thrilled, especially when she meets the other guests which include her teenage movie crush and a couple of women she idolizes. She can't believe her luck!
Unfortunately this turns into a nightmare of epic proportions, as one by one the guests are murdered.
A great beach read (but not on a private island...) that's impossible to put down. I definitely recommend it.

[Deanna Loves to Read!!:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Long Weekend. I really enjoyed this book- reminiscent of Christie’s trapped in place mysteries! I was engaged from page 1, and found myself eagerly reading every day after coming home from work! Thought I had it figured out, then the kinda twist at the end!!!

[Jadin Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read the vacation-gone-wrong trope before and I found it very interesting. This book truly had me left in the dark until the end, I didn’t know what to expect.

This book is from the perspective of Emma’s journal of the weekends accounts and you really got to know her and try piece everything together with her. It’s about a long weekend stay at a super fancy resort set on a small private island.

You get to know the characters but Emma still is an outsider and left in the dark. She only knows what she knows by doing her research and using her smarts.

There was definitely an ominous vibe about the island when she arrives as everyone kept saying she should not be there setting the tone that she was to witness bad things.

I could truly not figure out who was behind the whole ordeal as there was always a piece of the story that did not add up. Once you read the ending it all made sense. My thoughts trying to figure things out kept me second guessing who I thought it was so it kept me intrigued and fascinated with the book.

I did not really like any of the characters too much as Emma couldn’t figure things out and kept seconding guessing herself. I guess she became the most human of the group who showed the most emotions. She didn’t want to make any wrong choices. I wish we got to hear her side of the story at the very end to see what she was thinking about again.

I didn’t like how the person responsible ended up getting away with everything and then running.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six individuals are invited to enjoy a weekend on a private island to celebrate Hotel Horizen resort's grand opening. These individuals are not your average folk- Fiona Appleton's family owns the largest money printing press in the world, Robert Castro is a famous actor, hailing from a family of famous actors, Lucas Jones is the most watched person on the internet, Penny Atwell made her name as the most successful tv host, Michael Samson, a politician, and Rebecca Marsh, who comes from money. When Rebecca isn't able to attend, she gifts her employee, Emma Jones with the invitation to go in her place. Emma is excited by this opportunity, because not only would she never be able to afford something of this expense, but she sees it as the perfect opportunity to kickstart her career as a journalist. She has a plan to write about the lifestyle divide between those with wealth & those without, the difference between the rich and poor.
When Emma arrives at Hotel Horizen, all is not what it seems. Suspicions arise almost the second she steps foot on the resort, and things really start taking a turn when people start dropping like flies.
This was a really enjoyable book, with twists that'll leave you questioning a different potential killer each time! I suspected the killer correctly early on in the book, however the very end had my jaw drop! Completely nutty, but I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and SM Thomas for this thrilling read!

[Anna]

Emma didn't anticipate spending her weekend in paradise when she asked for a promotion, but when her boss offers her a chance for a luxurious holiday, she'd be foolish to decline. Especially considering her plan to write an expose article revealing the secrets of the elite guests.

However, Emma soon discovers that the wealthy and famous aren't as they appear in the media. As she delves into her mission to expose them, she encounters old friends and affairs, only to find that the excitement is far from over. A suspicious death marks just the beginning of the nightmare that unfolds over the weekend.


Upon discovering the book, which seemed reminiscent of works like "And Then There Were None" by Christie and "The Guest List" by Foley, I was immediately intrigued. I'm drawn to locked-room mysteries, and the initial setup, resembling an introduction to a gripping podcast, was incredibly promising. Emma initially appears determined in her intentions, but her focus quickly wavers once she meets the other guests.

Since this book is best experienced without prior knowledge of its plot twists, I won't reveal any more details. However, I must admit that the ending took me by surprise. While it left me yearning for more explanations or clues, it was an interesting conclusion nonetheless.



Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and SM Thomas for an arc :)

[Laura Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma is given a once in a lifetime opportunity from her boss, Rebecca, to spend a weekend at a private luxury resort on a remote island, Hotel Horizen. Emma has an ulterior motive when she accepts the trip to write an expose on the rich and famous who are also attending. But once the guests start dying one by one, Emma hopes to survive her trip.

This book was not what I’d thought it’d be at all. It was a somewhat topical and relevant thriller for its theme and honestly the whole time I had no idea where it was going to go. I had a theory, but only some of it was right, but even then it surprised me. The ending was pretty crazy and not at all what I was expecting. I tried to think of any shows/movies I’ve seen that it may relate to, but came up short.

The chapters were a little long, but overall this was a crazy whodunit book, with twists and turns everywhere. Also, a remote island where you turn in your phone and have no way to leave when crazy stuff starts happening? New fear unlocked. 😂

I was worried there wouldn’t be a resolution at the end and that I’d be just left wondering what the hell happened, but the Epilogue was intense and honestly could go into a whole other book. Read this one if you like the unsettling thrillers like the White Lotus. It went a lot deeper than just your typical thriller read.

Thank you @netgalley for the e-ARC!

[Allie Whitford · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5- This is a genuinely thrilling thriller- a mystery with elements of conspiracy and horror.

Long Weekend is written as a series of diary entries from Emma, a young assistant whose boss sends her on a luxury vacation rather than giving her a raise. Sensing an opportunity, Emma keeps a journal in hopes of writing a tell-all article about the disparity in wealth between people in her income bracket and the one percenters she’ll be joining on vacation. After a series of suspicious deaths, however, the entire island seems to be under siege, and Emma’s journal entries become a tale of survival… And figuring out who she can trust.

I really enjoyed the way this book kept me guessing! I had some theories along the way, but never fully figured out the final plot twist. The characters were interesting and the plot moved at a quick pace. The author builds tension really well! In a few places, the characters acted in ways that really didn’t make sense and/or felt inauthentic- this can be chalked up to being in a panic situation, but I still found it a little distracting. Besides that, I found it to be one of the more interesting and suspenseful books, I’ve read in a while! Thank you to the author, publishers, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty short thriller, but I think it was the perfect length for what the author wanted to do.

I loved the authors idea on how to start the book. I think this was a very unique device that hooks the reader into thinking they’re reading a true crime story. It definitely intrigued me.

I did enjoy the characters and the feeling that you love to hate and hate to love them. They make you feel a wide range of emotions. I actually think Emma was my least favourite character because I found her personality a bit lack lustre to everyone else.

One of my favourite books as a child was “And then there were none” and this book reminds me of a modern take on that book. Everyone is brought to an island, there is a red herring and the Epilogue is what answers a lot of the questions we have.

The only thing I would change is throwing in a few clues along the way to make us see glimpses of the killers work or glimpses of things that could make other characters appear guilty! This would add a lot of depth to the story.

Overall, it was an enjoyable story and I would recommend it! Very happy this was my first ever ARC read!