The Palazzo

by Kayte Nunn

They're all killers, but only one will resort to murder. The stunning new novel from international bestseller Kayte Nunn, for all fans of Lucy Foley and White Lotus.

Newly widowed beauty entrepreneur Vivi Savidge's fortieth birthday is fast approaching, and she plans to celebrate it at the Palazzo Stellina, a historic former convent in the foothills of the Italian Alps run by disgraced chef Marco Bianchi and his elderly grandmother.

Vivi's little sister, Alice, is flying from Brisbane with her sixteen-year-old twins in tow. Ex-colleague Pete and his new husband, Nick, are coming from Boston, and old friend Caroline is driving from Turin. Every one of them is hiding a shameful secret.

Vivi's hopes for a relaxing holiday surrounded by those closest to her are soon overshadowed by an anonymous blackmail threat, and she begins to wonder if someone she thought she could trust might just as easily betray her.

Amid a suffocating heatwave, the holiday ignites an explosive cocktail of obsession, jealousy and greed. Before the week is over, secrets will be exposed and the gathering will turn deadly, leaving one victim, a handful of suspects, and a murderer in their midst.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2025

About the author

Kayte is the author of seven novels, including the international bestsellers The Botanist's Daughter, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, The Silk House and The Last Reunion.

The Botanist's Daughter was awarded the 2020 Winston Graham Historical Fiction Prize, and was selected as the National English Honour Society's Common Reader for 2023/4..

Her books have been described as, 'sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking' (Who Weekly), offering 'compelling storytelling' (Australian Women's Weekly), and 'deliciously immersive' (The Daily Telegraph).

Kayte's novels are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into ten languages.

Born in Singapore, raised in the US and the UK, she now lives in Northern NSW, Australia.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, newly widowed beauty entrepreneur, Vivi Savidge is about to celebrate her fortieth birthday and decides with the help of her ever faithful assistant Jade to book the Palazzo Stellina in the foothills of The Italian Alps for a week of celebrations with some of her family and closest friends but this week will end with a body and these people uncovering secrets that they have all held for many years, who died and was there a murder?

Vivi’s sister Alice and her sixteen year old twins Mia and Isla, old friend Carolyn who lives in Turin and also Pete and his new husband Nick from Boston arrive at this beautiful Palazzo owned and run by disgraced chef Marco who lives there with his elderly grandmother Stella.

The book starts with the discovery of a body and then goes back each day of their visit there is a lot going on with each guest and also Vivi has been getting mysterious text messages and emails that are threatening blackmail, Vivi is worried that the blackmailing threats are coming from one of her guests, could it be?

The week is hot, the food is fabulous there is plenty to drink and entertain the guests but answers need to gotten, this one did certainly keep me turning the pages, I don’t think I liked any of the characters much they all seemed a bit selfish to me but it is a great story and one that I would highly recommend to any reader of a good mystery, thriller.

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

An addictive destination murder mystery, featuring hidden motives and explosive secrets.

‘They’re all killers, but only one will resort to murder’

This is a perfect holiday read!

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to Harper Collins for sending us a copy to read and review.
After a small break and acquiring a new publisher, Kayte Nunn returns to the book world penning a new genre.
A murder mystery thriller, the new novel The Palazzo is a glamorous, engaging and entertaining read amid a luxurious location.
Benvenuto to Palazzo Stellina.
A former historical convent now renovated into a modern day resort and run by chef Marco and his elderly beloved grandmother.
Enter Vivienne Savidge, newly widowed and about to turn the big 4-0.
To celebrate the beauty entrepreneur has invited family and friends to an all expenses paid week vacation.
These include her sister, Alice and twin daughters, Mia and Isla, her PA Jade, former work colleague Pete and his hubby Nick and dear old friend Caroline.
Each of them with a deadly secret…..
What should be a relaxing holiday and celebration, soon becomes twisted.
Secrets unravel and a murder takes place.
Who is the culprit…..
A selection of troubled suspects each with their own agenda and a tapestry of clues and scenarios all make the reader think for the ideal arm chair detective experience.
With an inviting opening chapter, an exotic setting, luxury, betrayal, devious behaviour and rich people antics, give you an enjoyable reading experience and ticks all the right boxes.
An enticing destination thriller.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...

🛶Palazzo is a 2025 release from international bestselling novelist Kayte Nunn. An established Australian author of more than seven books, Nunn is known for her atmospheric locations, intriguing mysteries and engrossing storytelling. The Palazzo is a gripping sun-drenched thriller set in a luxurious villa, where dark family secrets and puzzling murder unravels during a high stakes getaway abroad.

🛶I consider myself a loyal fan of Kayte Nunn, as I’ve read all of her previous books. I jumped at the chance to read Palazzo in a buddy read situation with a great group of friends. What struck me immediately about this new release from Nunn was that it clearly marked quite a shift from her usual historical fiction titles to a more contemporary destination thriller vibe. This change in direction brought a new dimension to her storytelling and while it was different, it still delivered plenty of mystery and shocks.

🛶The Palazzo is set against the postcard perfect backdrop of an Italian villa, complete with a private chef. The book’s setting was one of its strengths and the atmosphere created by Nunn was palpable. Nunn gives her latest book a luxurious and escapist feel, setting the mood and tension at an elevated level. From the onset there are dark secrets present that begin to immediately simmer beneath the surface. Right from the opening pages, the audience is introduced to a body at the bottom of the pool and this is a compelling mystery that lingers until the very end. Despite my best efforts, my guess at the victim’s identity turned out to be wrong but the signs were there as I quickly turned the pages of Palazzo.

🛶The cast that populate Nunn’s latest as a whole were messy, complex and some were not particularly likeable. I really thought they made some questionable choices but this added to the tension and sense of unease creeping through the story many points. Themes of deep family secrets, grief, assisted dying, betrayal, economic pressure, the demands of running a big-brand business, and personal threats were all woven in. The dynamics were tangled, the stakes high, and the sense of betrayal sharp.
I flew through days three to five of our buddy read — the second half of the book in particular had a gripping pace. There were plenty of theories, twists, and what just happened moments that made it a compulsive read and the ideal read to discuss in a group situation such as a buddy read. Thank you again to my wonderful buddy read group!
While I personally prefer Kayte Nunn’s historical mysteries, I’d definitely be keen to read more thrillers from her in the future.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 stars and a very big thank you🙏 to @harpercollinsaustralia for a copy of the book for review purposes.

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
The Palazzo by Kayte Nunn will have you turning the pages, I loved it! The setting is glamorous and with Marco the brooding chef always at the ready to prepare the most delicious of Italian food for his guests, what a dream holiday. The descriptions of the plates and combinations of food made me ravenous and I was so intrigued with the storyline.

Vivi Savidge is famous in the beauty industry and she’s the founder of a line of cosmetics called Vivid. Vivi is a recent widow and she’s about to celebrate her fortieth birthday at the Palazzo Stellina in Italy and treat a small group of family members and close friends.

It’s not too long before a dead body is discovered in the pool at the Palazzo, the identity is held back from the reader and as the mystery deepens secrets, blackmail and a large number of possible suspects come to light. It appears not many of the characters can be trusted.

I loved the suspense of not knowing who was murdered until the end. A must read delicious mystery suspense!

Publication Date 04 June 2025
Publisher Harper Collins Australia

Thank you so very much Harper Collins Australia for a copy of the book.

[Anna Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I had guessed victim/ killer/ motive ten times over hahaha, this was fantastic…talk about ‘pose as a friend, work as a spy’!!! I LOVED being at The Palzzo, this was perfect armchair travel…such great eating, drinking and lounging around…I was completely there for the ‘platters of ciabatta rolls stuffed with salami, tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and basil’ being brought out to the pool by the hot chef 👌
Thank you so much Harper Collins for my arc, it is out now and perfect for Sydney winter

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read, with friends like Vivi’s - who needs enemies!! I really felt for her as it was a week away with family & friends for her 40th birthday - all paid for by her.

Vivi had recently lost her husband after an unexpected, short illness and this was supposed to be a break. However, it wasn’t to be a relaxing one. With blackmailers, secrets coming out, corporate take-overs and her ‘clone’ PA embezzling money and a murder thrown in, it wasn’t the break she had anticipated.

I loved how all of the separate pieces of this came together but the more it did the more sorry I felt for Vivi as it was almost like she was unable to trust anyone! When I thought I had something figured out, it wasn’t always as simple as it seemed.

I loved the writing style of this and found the pages just kept flowing. The setting for the book was described beautifully and Marco’s cooking… the descriptions were making my mouth water!

[Janelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rich, recent widow books an Italian palazzo for her 40th birthday and invites some friends and relatives along (and her extremely efficient assistant who actually found and booked the venue). The book opens with the discovery of a body in the pool then goes back 5 or so days earlier and recounts events leading up to the death. I was completely underwhelmed by this book, I hated most of the characters, and was completely disappointed at the reveal of the identity of the dead body, she deserved it the least in my opinion.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com

Beauty entrepreneur Vivi Savidge is on the brink of turning forty. Having recently lost her husband who was also her business partner, she decides to treat her nearest and dearest to a few days of sun and relaxation at the exclusive Palazzo Stellina, located at the foot of the Italian Alps. The only thing the group really have in common is their connection to Vivi. Sure, they’re all aware of each other and how important they are to grieving Vivi, but truth be told, they’re far from friendly. As tensions simmer over in the Italian sun, as envy and greed reach breaking point, and as the unpalatable truth rises to the surface there’s one thing for sure. Not all of Vivi’s guests will make it out of Palazzo Stellina alive…

The Palazzo is a highly intriguing, suspense-filled thriller where everyone has a secret they will do anything to keep. And don’t just think we’re talking about Vivi’s invited guests here. Even the staff are hiding things you would probably rather know about BEFORE booking! But let’s start at the beginning with the setting. Oh my gosh, the Palazzo Stellina – a former convent at the foot of the Italian Alps in the middle of an unprecedented heatwave was such a great setting for the book. The author has done a stellar job of setting the scene. Creating heat and humidity for the reader and transporting them to a world away from home. As the story moves towards the night of Vivi’s special dinner, tensions are rising, helped a little by the relentless heat of the day. I loved the setting. I loved the luxury, the history and the darker undertones. There is a fairly large cast of characters but it was easy enough to keep track of who everyone was. Vivi’s own personal shadow is her young assistant, Jade. Then you have the friends and family who have been invited to stay gratis to celebrate the big birthday. Alice is Vivi’s younger sister who flies in from Australia with her twin teenage daughters, Mia and Isla. Ex-colleague Peter brings his new husband, Nick, along for the ride. And the odd one out, quite literally, is Caroline. On top of that you have Marco and his staff who run the Palazzo. All of the characters in the book had their own personality and contributed to the story. They’re certainly not likeable but I found myself drawn into their lives. Keen to see how things were going to turn out for them.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Palazzo is a well-written, immersive thriller full of drama, secrets and lies. The characters are intriguing, the plot moves at a good pace with twists and turns along the way, and the setting was just gorgeous and came to life on the page. You would have thought a free holiday would bring the best out in people but no. These characters are full of festering resentment, full of envy, full of bristling hate and I loved it. Oh the drama! This is the first book I have read by this author who I believe has mostly written historical fiction in the past. I hope this isn’t the first and last thriller she writes as I would love to read more by Nunn. Recommended.

[Ash Rush · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utterly unlikeable characters all doing selfish and irredeemable things. It’s hard to root for anyone, but nor is the unlikeability of the characters a delicious pleasure to read about. For a group of old friends, they certainly make great enemies.

[Juliet Bookliterati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read previous books by Kayte Nunn I was excited to be given the opprtunity to be part of the blog tour for her new book The Palazzo . This is the first thriller that I have read by her and was drawnto the setting of a palazzo in Italy, my favourite place to visit.

One of my favourite things about this novel was the characters. The main character is Vivi, a succesful business woman who has founded a beauty empire and sadly lost her husband to cancer. It is her fortieth birthday and to celebrate she has rented out the Pallazo Stellina and paid for those closest to her to come to the villa and celebrate. There is a real eclectic mix of characters that I loved getting to know. Her sister Alice is an artist and a single mum to twins Mia and Isla, Peter worked with her at Vivid and is with his younger husband Nick, Caroline an old freind from University who lives in Italy and finally her assistant Jade. Add to this the gorgeous Michelin chef Marco and his elderly grandmother Stella. I loved getting into the psychology of these characters, their relationships, their lives, their hopes and dreams an watching the underlying tensions that culminate at Vivi’s fortieth birthday meal. My favourite character was Vivi, but it was Jade I had sympathy for; she is in a difficult place straddling the line between employee and friend on the holidays.

The setting of this book was amazing, a beautiful but rustic palazzo at the foot of the Italian Alps and a gorgeous Italian chef on hand to cook some wonderful meals, heaven to me. Kayte Nunn’s descriptive prose made me feel I was there with the characters in the heat of Italy, sitting by the pool with a glass of Prosecco. From the first page we know someone is dead but we don’t find out who or why until the end of the book. This is a real slow burner with the main part of the book getting to know the characters, none of whom seem capable of murder. If I’m honest I found it a bit too slow for me, I wanted more of the murder and more action , however the last fifty pages or so were full of tension as secrets and lies spilled out with too much alcohol. With betrayal, blackmail, a stalker and secrets there are plenty of motives for murder coming from some strange quarters that did surprise me.

The Palazzo is an easy read and would be perfect to take on your summer holidays. A fantastic mix of characters, their relationships and the difficulties within them and the lies they tell. The setting is perfect for me as I love all things Italian, and it was brought to life by Kayte Nunn’s descriptive prose. I’d describe this book as a scintillating and heady read in the heat of the Italian summer.

[Zoé-Lee O'Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, this was such a good book. Opening with a murder, we flit back to 5 days ago! How dare we!! I had to wait ages to find out who!!! 😂 Especially as the last part of the book, it could have literally been anyone!!! I think we had it all wrapped up nicely, apart from one small side plot with Jade and Will. But it was a book that I was hooked on!

The Palazzo sounded so lush. The sun, the pool, the view, all just so...well lush! I felt like I was relaxing on a Sun lounger with my shades, watching everything unfold. SECRETS SECRETS and MORE SECRETS!!

So many secrets, my head was spinning. It was great. I loved Nunns' writing! She got me hooked to Vivi and her pain, Alice and her need for better, Caro and her need for acceptance, and Pete for his need to be a friend.

So much backstabbing, too! I do wonder if any of the characters really know the whole story about each other.

I am still thinking of Vivi, and despite everything, she is the one character I want better for. Ok, and reading the end, Alice and her children too. But Vivi, she struck a chord with me. Her pain, her loss, was so raw whilst she still tried to work, stop a hostile takeover and wonder who was being a cow!

I would love to go to the Palazzo and eat Marco's food. Man, it sounded like he could cook!!!

Sun, sea, deceit, it has a lot I was looking for while in dreary UK. One escape I could recommend reading, but maybe not going to...

[Melanie Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivi Savidge invites her sister, nieces and friends to a Palazzo in Italy along with her assistant Jade to celebrate her 40th Birthday
Recently widowed, Vivi is hoping to have enjoy her birthday and put everything else to the side.

The novel begins with the discovery of a body in the pool, the whole novel then goes back 5 days to the beginning of the holiday and the lead up to the discovery and revealing who the body is and what has happened to them.

I loved the setting as it had real sunny, holiday vibes but with a dark undertone.

There are tensions between the group bubbling between the group and as you read on you feel the body could be anyone and it could be anyone who has caused the death.

Great tension and plot. I loved Vivi as a main character.

Perfect summer beach vibes!

Thanks to NetGalley and No exit press for the advanced copy.

[Donna McEachran · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Vivi's 40th birthday and she organises for her family and friends to celebrate in Turin, Italy. Lots of back stories with the histories and controversies of the mostly unlikeable guests coming to light throughout the book...along with the crime at the centre of the story.
Suspenseful story that was an enjoyable and addictive read.

[Denise Tannock · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read that kept me guessing until the end. I loved the description of The Palazzo.

[Elena Nikas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt randomly preachy at times.
Overall a pretty standard murder mystery that wasn’t too violent

[Amelia Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

on the higher side of 3.5🌟 a solid page turner!

[Essie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, Kayte, Kayte, Kayte...where have you gone! Your previous novels, of which I am a BIG fan, filled with botany, World War II, silk merchants, history and research on every page. Did you sell your soul to a new publisher? I persevered through fainting spells, pulling out of hair, shopping and shoplifting, bee stings at midnight (most bees are nocturnal except in the tropics), cellar and barn imprisonments, a grannie with a gun...... all to get to a murder that is resolved in a few pages! What a load of rubbish! Not one redeeming character, nothing better than a protracted episode of Home and Away! And 'sex with a practical stranger' (p252)? What does that mean?? I won't be reading anything else if it feels like a potboiler!

[Naomi (aplace_inthesun) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a book with the most despicable characters you can imagine; set in a place you can only dream of visiting?

The Palazzo might just be the book for you. When a body is discovered during a group’s vacation, the book takes a reflective look on events prior and then following, with suspects aplenty given the vacation guest list. The group are at the Palazzo to celebrate the birthday of cosmetics company founder Vivi, following a turbulent period with the loss of her husband and CEO of the company, Will.

Friends, colleagues, relatives and a personal assistant. Connected in different ways; sad, jealous, manipulative, and vengeful. Secrets and lies. And the owner of the Palazzo who has secrets of his own; not limited to the strange wanderings of his elderly mother.

I wasn’t sure even until the last few chapters who of these characters was the most abhorrent. I wasn’t sure who was dead but formed various opinions about my preferred victim. I had views aplenty about who made a fantastic killer and why.

The ending is swift, and whilst I was not convinced it was entirely satisfactory I enjoyed this book nonetheless.

It’s the third of Kayte Nunn’s books I’ve been fortunate to read, and this one sees a change of genre and thus direction for her.

Thanks to Harper Collins Australia for the print copy of the book to read.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blackmail, betrayals and murder…..
I admit I think of Kayte as a historical fiction writer with the most amazing dual timelines and research. However, with this and her last novel, she has also cemented herself as one of my favorite thriller writers too. Recently widowed Vivien decides to celebrate her 40th birthday in style and rents the luxurious Palazzo Stellina in Italy which comes complete with a gorgeous Michelin Starred chef and beautiful swimming pool. She then flies her close family and friends from around the globe to come and celebrate with her.

This locked room mystery hooks you in immediately, whilst the pace slows a bit as Nunn sets things up, she drops plenty of crumbs as to what’s going to happen to keep you engaged. I enjoyed the non-linear timeline and the newspaper articles between the chapters. It was an interesting group of characters with a lot of history. As a nod to her historical fiction background I did enjoy the backstory of Stella. I found it fun to guess not only whodunnit but also who was going to be the victim. A solid thriller.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a pretty standard set up for a thriller. A group of characters, all a little unlikable, all keeping secrets, thrown together on a holiday. We know from the opening chapter that one of them will end up dead. the Italian palazzo that is the setting for this novel is really well characterised, and is definitely the star of the book. The characters all have connections and secrets from each other, the gradual revelations keep up some level of tension. It did drag a bit in the second half and I was somewhat underwhelmed by the ending. Still, it was entertaining and I recommend it for fans of the genre.

[Kylie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a contemporary book, set in the Italian Alps. Marco, a former New York chef has restored the property of his Nonna, Palazzo Stellina, and opened his own private resort where he provides 5 star meals. For this story, Vivi, a wealthy makeup business entrepreneur, has invited her nearest and dearest to come to the Palazzo to help her celebrate her 40th birthday. Vivi has been widowed for several months and still grieves for her husband and business partner.
Guests include her sister Alice, with her twin daughters, friend and former business partner Pete and his husband, as well as Caroline an old university friend who now lives in Italy. All enter the week together with their fair share of secrets that they would rather not surface.
The book opens with the discovery of a body and then backtracks five days with the arrival of the guests at the Palazzo, so the mystery is more around whose body is found as the story unfolds. It was an intriguing story, but told in a magnificent setting with sumptuous foods in the mix (you will need snacks at hand for the reading).
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the death of her husband Vivienne ‘Vivi’ Savidge haas decided on a low key celebration for her 40th birthday with just a few close family and friends. Her assistant booked the Palazzo Stellina, a former convent now run as a luxury boutique rental owned and run by Marco Bianchi, a former Michelin chef

Briefly, the book opens with the hotel maid Delfina finding a body floating in the pool. We then go back 5 days, with a day by day storyline interspersed with more about the dead body. It all starts off so well, Vivi’s sister Alice arrives from Australia with her twin daughters, former close friend and accountant Peter with his husband from USA and friend Caroline and Vivi’s assistant Jade make up the group. With Vivi footing the bill for everything everyone is looking forward to a luxury holiday.

What a group. Most of them are envious of Vivi’s success, are after her money or have a secret gripe with her. But Vivi has her own secrets. This is not a fun group of people, most of them I didn’t like, thank goodness for Isla! Almost any of them could be the killer, or the victim. A slow burn mystery chock full of secrets and lies. An entertaining read.

[Elizabeth Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Palazzo is a destination thriller that combines a glamorous location with secrets, betrayal and murder …..

Beauty entrepreneur Vivi Savidge has invited her sister, teenage nieces and close friends to an Italian palazzo to celebrate her 40th birthday. Having recently lost her husband, she is hoping to create some happy memories at this idyllic setting, complete with a rather handsome Michelin starred chef. But it proves to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

The book starts with the discovery of an unidentified body in the pool, before going back five days to the beginning of the holiday. It is clear from the outset that there are tensions amongst the group - but with everyone harbouring their own secrets, tensions soon reach boiling point under the Italian sun and someone ends up dead - but who? And who is responsible?

This is a book that will keep you guessing - and with the beautiful setting and the mouthwatering meals very much brought to life, it all makes for an entertaining summer read full of suspense.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book full of betrayals, blackmail, secrets and a murder, The Palazzo but Kayte Nunn was a slow paced thriller with a twisted ending.
In the story, the main character of Vivi Savidge invites her family and close friends to the Palazzo (shortly after the death of her husband Will) to get together to reminisce old times as well as for her upcoming 40th Birthday.
However, each person arrives with hidden secrets of their own and during the week of all of them staying at the Palazzo- truths are revealed culminating in one of them being a murderer.
This story kept me guessing until the very end and I enjoyed the dual timeliness of the days leading up to the murder along with the morning after the terrible event.
A gripping, tension building and immersive story with a clever twist that I never saw coming until the conclusion of the story.
A big thankyou to both Netgalley and Harper Collins AU for the opportunity to read this ARC book.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚The Palazzo
✍️Kayte Nunn
4⭐️

A book perfect to read on holiday. The plot follows Vivi, owner of a beauty brand as she celebrates her 40th birthday with her sister, nieces and three other friends. Vivi herself is being blackmailed, friend Caroline is being stalked, the owner of the villa is being chased for money, all of which culminate in not only a tense novel, but a murder! The book is well paced, which unfortunately didn’t continue through to the end, which seemed to just happen and was a tad underwhelming. The characters were all believable and distinct from each other, well written and introduced in small batches which wasn’t overwhelming for the reader. Other than the ending tailing off slightly, I don’t have any complaints! This was my first time reading a book by Kayte Nunn but I will definitely be reading more.

[Nadine-Sue Sargent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing start to this as we are presented with a death but no idea over who has died or why.

Vivi is a great character with a generous nature. I don't think the people around her are all that great and they all, Vivi included, have a few skeletons in the closet.

There were a couple of characters that seemed potential victims based on their behaviour. I did find one or two irritating but this adds to the suspense and motive. It is a bit of a surprise when the victim revealed. I wasn't as surprised at the perpetrator but they had demonstrated themselves to be pretty terrible. I had hoped for better justice but it does leave things open, particularly as the character clearly has a resentment towards Vivi so there could be more to follow.

[Ruth Setton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat! The Palazzo is a juicy murder mystery with serious White Lotus vibes—sun-soaked luxury, privileged guests, and secrets darker than a double espresso.
It opens with a shocking murder, flashes back five days, and I was hooked, desperate to know whodunit.
Kayte Nunn has a real gift for character—each one drawn with depth and quirks that make you suspect absolutely everyone. Vivi's heartbreak, Alice's quiet desperation, Caroline's aching need to belong. And her descriptions of the lush Italian setting and Marco's feasts had me craving pasta by chapter three.
Devoured it in two sittings. If you love locked-room mysteries with delicious suspense and envy-inducing scenery, grab this one now.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her husband's death, Vivi decides to celebrate her 40th birthday with the remaining people closest to her - her sister and nieces, and some of her friends. So, she hires an beautiful one-time convent building in the Italian Alps for a very special getaway.

Unfortunately, almost all of her guests have hidden agendas - or at least, secrets of their own. The results are mixed, to say the least, and it's not long before things go south...

This is a clever, twisty thriller which delivers plenty of entertainment to it's readers. Worth checking out for thriller addicts, it easily gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Every time I thought I knew who the killer was and who died there was a new twist and a new turn. I had no idea for so long which I loved. The range of characters were interesting as they all knew the main character Vivi in different ways, yet they were all in Italy for her birthday. Some I liked, like her sister and twin nieces, others like Caroline I didn’t really warm to, but even that helped the story along as I would think they were involved in the death for a range of reasons. A great who did it story set in a beautiful location.