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The Pledge
Listening Length 11 hours and 35 minutes
A MYSTERIOUS OFFER
When Thea deciphers a cryptic invitation, she can't believe it's real. Yet the next moment she's on a jet, being whisked off to a private Caribbean island.
BUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY HOLIDAY
Her fellow guests are richer than rich - billionaires, tech bros, even royalty; all in paradise to sign a global deal. So what is Thea doing here?
THERE IS NO ESCAPE
By the morning, their host is dead - and so is any hope of getting off the island.
NO GETAWAY
As guests are picked off one by one, the group's suspicions turn on Thea.
ONLY A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL
But the killer isn't the only threat on the island - and escape means facing her worst fears . . .
A MYSTERIOUS OFFER
When Thea deciphers a cryptic invitation, she can't believe it's real. Yet the next moment she's on a jet, being whisked off to a private Caribbean island.
BUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY HOLIDAY
Her fellow guests are richer than rich - billionaires, tech bros, even royalty; all in paradise to sign a global deal. So what is Thea doing here?
THERE IS NO ESCAPE
By the morning, their host is dead - and so is any hope of getting off the island.
NO GETAWAY
As guests are picked off one by one, the group's suspicions turn on Thea.
ONLY A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL
But the killer isn't the only threat on the island - and escape means facing her worst fears . . .
- GenresThriller
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 26, 2026
About the author
Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
13 books345 followersAfter spending sixteen years as an ecologist, crawling through undergrowth and studying nocturnal habits of animals (and people), Dr Sarah Yarwood-Lovett naturally turned her mind to murder. She may have swapped badgers for bears when she emigrated from a quaint village in the South Downs to the wild mountains of the Pacific Northwest, but her books remain firmly rooted in the rolling downland she grew up in.
Forensically studying clues for animal activity has seen Sarah surveying sites all over the UK and around the world. She’s re-discovered a British species thought to be extinct during her PhD, with her record held in London’s Natural History Museum; debated that important question – do bats wee on their faces? – at school workshops; survived a hurricane on a coral atoll whilst scuba diving to conduct marine surveys; and given evidence as an expert witness.
Along the way, she’s discovered a noose in an abandoned warehouse and had a survey de-railed by the bomb squad. Her unusual career has provided the perfect inspiration for a series of murder mysteries with an ecological twist – so, these days, Sarah’s research includes consulting detectives, lawyers, judges and attending murder trials.
Forensically studying clues for animal activity has seen Sarah surveying sites all over the UK and around the world. She’s re-discovered a British species thought to be extinct during her PhD, with her record held in London’s Natural History Museum; debated that important question – do bats wee on their faces? – at school workshops; survived a hurricane on a coral atoll whilst scuba diving to conduct marine surveys; and given evidence as an expert witness.
Along the way, she’s discovered a noose in an abandoned warehouse and had a survey de-railed by the bomb squad. Her unusual career has provided the perfect inspiration for a series of murder mysteries with an ecological twist – so, these days, Sarah’s research includes consulting detectives, lawyers, judges and attending murder trials.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
February 24, 2026
Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this free advance copy, and I’m writing this review honestly and without bias.
I really enjoyed this locked room mystery/destination thriller from a new author for me. The secret to this type of book is to do it well and have some originality and Sarah Yarwood- Lovett delivers on both. A nice array of characters some likeable some definitely not, adds dimension to the story. Thea as the protagonist was a sublime addition in this slick, well paced story. The suspense builds up nicely and with its twisty plot this really does become an addictive read and culminates to a good conclusion
March 9, 2026
4.5 stars
This is one tense and anticipatory thriller. I loved the idea of the locked-room style mystery on an idyllic island.
Each of the characters with secrets to hide, none of them were particularly likeable - but that made the story all the more gripping and captivating, who would survive and at what cost ?
The isolation and the fear were all too apparent and added to that claustrophobic element so cleverly written. Questionable morals and manipulation go hand in hand as we see each of the characters start to reveal their true colours as they realise the situation they’ve been placed in.
This is one tense and anticipatory thriller. I loved the idea of the locked-room style mystery on an idyllic island.
Each of the characters with secrets to hide, none of them were particularly likeable - but that made the story all the more gripping and captivating, who would survive and at what cost ?
The isolation and the fear were all too apparent and added to that claustrophobic element so cleverly written. Questionable morals and manipulation go hand in hand as we see each of the characters start to reveal their true colours as they realise the situation they’ve been placed in.
April 10, 2026
The Pledge by Sarah Yarwood - Lovett should not have been my jam, but for the category of mystery and thriller and a synopsis which was 50% what I was into and 50% that I did not know I was into!
From the get-go, Thea is an anti-hero, fighting for the government against the Climate Change Comission (which she wins) and results in her receiving an unexpected, and very mysterious invitation to jet off to a Carribbean island. I braced myself for impact as although I really enjoyed the opening of the book, I was dreading the introduction of all of the party-goers, the rich, the entitled, the insta-famous, but oh no no no, what a lovely surprise to see these people being written in a completely original way. Ofc you will get your tropes, but these characters are more crisp, more clear in their personalities
Fresh and intriguging, the storyline is firmly set in a new era of thrillers and I am here for it. I usually balk at billionaire/ destination thrillers, but apparently you mix in an antihero of Thea, a KC who is not quite perfect but doing her best to make a change, a gathering of the rich and shameless (yes, shameless), a pledge that risks half of their fortunes in aid of waging the war against climate change, a murder and a boatload of secrets and I am hooked. (let alone the back stories of the lives of the power hungry guests and their cut-throat social dynamics)
What a delight and what an awesome writing talent! I am really looking forward to seeing more from this author
Thank you to Netgalley, the authoer and Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre for this intriguing ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
From the get-go, Thea is an anti-hero, fighting for the government against the Climate Change Comission (which she wins) and results in her receiving an unexpected, and very mysterious invitation to jet off to a Carribbean island. I braced myself for impact as although I really enjoyed the opening of the book, I was dreading the introduction of all of the party-goers, the rich, the entitled, the insta-famous, but oh no no no, what a lovely surprise to see these people being written in a completely original way. Ofc you will get your tropes, but these characters are more crisp, more clear in their personalities
Fresh and intriguging, the storyline is firmly set in a new era of thrillers and I am here for it. I usually balk at billionaire/ destination thrillers, but apparently you mix in an antihero of Thea, a KC who is not quite perfect but doing her best to make a change, a gathering of the rich and shameless (yes, shameless), a pledge that risks half of their fortunes in aid of waging the war against climate change, a murder and a boatload of secrets and I am hooked. (let alone the back stories of the lives of the power hungry guests and their cut-throat social dynamics)
What a delight and what an awesome writing talent! I am really looking forward to seeing more from this author
Thank you to Netgalley, the authoer and Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre for this intriguing ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
April 4, 2026
Thea receives a mysterious invitation to spend a few days on a remote island in the Caribbean. She finds herself as one of several wealthy guests, one of whom is her errant husband. As the reason for the invite becomes clear, guests start to be picked off one by one including the hostess. Thea tries to establish just who is committing the murders and why
This is an intriguing ‘locked room’ style mystery. There is a good sense of paranoia and the suspense builds up nicely. The addition of a black panther and the odd snake lurking about reinforces the feelings of fear and anxiety. The characters are mainly unlikeable so much so that by the end I nearly wished they’d all been bumped off! 😈. The moral of this story is always read the small print or at least find out what you are letting yourself in for before accepting cryptic invitations! An enjoyable and compelling thriller which you will want to race through to the end to discover ‘whodunnit’.
This is an intriguing ‘locked room’ style mystery. There is a good sense of paranoia and the suspense builds up nicely. The addition of a black panther and the odd snake lurking about reinforces the feelings of fear and anxiety. The characters are mainly unlikeable so much so that by the end I nearly wished they’d all been bumped off! 😈. The moral of this story is always read the small print or at least find out what you are letting yourself in for before accepting cryptic invitations! An enjoyable and compelling thriller which you will want to race through to the end to discover ‘whodunnit’.
March 26, 2026
Having devoured the Nell Ward series, I was eager to find out what Sarah Yarwood-Lovett was going to write next, and this one, The Pledge, was another brilliant page-turning thriller!
Thea receives a mysterious invitation to somewhere, and when she arrives at an idyllic Caribbean island, with fellow guests being billionaires, famous folk, and her husband, she is confused and intrigued.
But as the group come to terms with why they have been gathered, a murder occurs, and sends them all into panic.
They all have secrets to hide, and motives... but Thea is determined to find out what went on. And more murders happen...
So many twists and turns kept me reading long into the night as I wanted to know who the murderer was, and why this was all happening! Fantastically done!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for an ARC.
Thea receives a mysterious invitation to somewhere, and when she arrives at an idyllic Caribbean island, with fellow guests being billionaires, famous folk, and her husband, she is confused and intrigued.
But as the group come to terms with why they have been gathered, a murder occurs, and sends them all into panic.
They all have secrets to hide, and motives... but Thea is determined to find out what went on. And more murders happen...
So many twists and turns kept me reading long into the night as I wanted to know who the murderer was, and why this was all happening! Fantastically done!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for an ARC.
April 23, 2026
Very poor book Did not enjoy it
April 15, 2026
I loved this book , it’s a locked room mystery murder on a secluded island where all the guests were chosen for a reason .
I enjoyed how it planned out and thought that Thea was a really good character as were the others. With no WiFi , mobile phones and no way of contacting the outside world how will it pan out . Well worth a read.
I enjoyed how it planned out and thought that Thea was a really good character as were the others. With no WiFi , mobile phones and no way of contacting the outside world how will it pan out . Well worth a read.
May 11, 2026
I've enjoyed Sarah Yarwood-Lovett's cosy mystery series featuring amateur sleuth / ecologist Dr. Nell Ward, so thought I'd give her new release, The Pledge, a go. While it also features significant ecological / sustainability themes, it's quite a different type of crime fiction.
Ostensibly, the initial premise closely resembles that of Dame Agatha Christie's 1939 masterpiece And Then There Were None. A cast of mostly unlikeable characters are drawn by invitation to an apparently exclusive party on a private island, which quickly turns sinister when their host's nefarious motives are revealed and first one guest, then another are murdered. In the case of The Pledge, the identity of the host is known from the outset - she's the richest person in the world, a luxury brand multi-billionaire named Olga Helgesdotter. Among the guests are three of the remaining top five from Forbes Rich List, an English prince who bears several uncanny similarities to a disgraced real-life member (or should I say ex-member) of the Royal Family, his university pal and current UK Energy Minister, a pop-idol, a global spokes-model, an investigative journalist, and finally the narrator, British barrister Thea Harrington KC.
Helgesdotter's motives for gathering the group together become clear shortly after their arrival at her plush Caribbean private island sanctuary - she intends to spearhead a ground-breaking overhaul of the world's power and economic systems to solve the twin issues of climate change and sustainability once and for all. And she requires each of her guests to commit their vast financial resources or other special skills to support the project, under threat of being publicly shamed and ruined if they refuse. She refers to her audacious plan as The Pledge, retreating to her private suite leaving her guests in the knowledge that they are effectively stranded on the island, with no staff, no means of contacting the outside world, to fight amongst themselves and make a decision on where they stand. But when the sun rises on the following morning, Olga is found dead in her private pool, apparently murdered by one of the guests...
Thea draws upon her experience in the law and dealing with witnesses, securing the crime scene and confronting each of her fellow guests one by one as to their whereabouts the previous night and the specific damaging leverage that Olga seems to have held over each of them. The tension is ramped up when another guest is killed in his room, then the unintentional release of a partly-tame but hungry big cat when Thea scours the island looking for a means of communication or escape.
The Pledge is certainly at the high-camp end of the thriller-suspense spectrum, with characters taking absurd risks and accusations flying every which way as each of the characters deals with the stresses of isolation and self-reliance in their own way. Perhaps the addition of the panther was just one step too far, taking the narrative into almost farcical territory, but both the cast of characters and the simultaneously beautiful but oppressive setting were both well-developed to a fully-saturated degree. I suspect that Sarah Yarwood-Lovett skated just within the barriers of censorship with her eviscerating depiction of a corpulent, arrogant and lecherous minor royal who relies on a lifetime of never having been held accountable for his many misdemeanours. Clearly, Yarwood-Lovett is not holding out for an OBE!
I found The Pledge an intriguing and entertaining read, drawing on many pressing real-life global issues around wealth and sustainability. It also presents an opportunity for the reader to consider their own attitudes to privilege and responsibility, utilising the African proverb about the power of a single mosquito as a call to action on climate change and sustainability. I didn't find the book overly preachy, but it did reinforce my frustration at the realistic depictions of self-interested inertia and reluctance on the part of the powerful to effect any genuine long-term change.
I'm interested to see that Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will continue in this vein of environmentally-related thrillers, with an upcoming release titled The Prospect, focused on pharmaceutical prospecting in rainforest environments, (not yet listed on Goodreads) planned for publication on 12 August 2027.
My thanks to the author, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, publisher Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
Ostensibly, the initial premise closely resembles that of Dame Agatha Christie's 1939 masterpiece And Then There Were None. A cast of mostly unlikeable characters are drawn by invitation to an apparently exclusive party on a private island, which quickly turns sinister when their host's nefarious motives are revealed and first one guest, then another are murdered. In the case of The Pledge, the identity of the host is known from the outset - she's the richest person in the world, a luxury brand multi-billionaire named Olga Helgesdotter. Among the guests are three of the remaining top five from Forbes Rich List, an English prince who bears several uncanny similarities to a disgraced real-life member (or should I say ex-member) of the Royal Family, his university pal and current UK Energy Minister, a pop-idol, a global spokes-model, an investigative journalist, and finally the narrator, British barrister Thea Harrington KC.
Helgesdotter's motives for gathering the group together become clear shortly after their arrival at her plush Caribbean private island sanctuary - she intends to spearhead a ground-breaking overhaul of the world's power and economic systems to solve the twin issues of climate change and sustainability once and for all. And she requires each of her guests to commit their vast financial resources or other special skills to support the project, under threat of being publicly shamed and ruined if they refuse. She refers to her audacious plan as The Pledge, retreating to her private suite leaving her guests in the knowledge that they are effectively stranded on the island, with no staff, no means of contacting the outside world, to fight amongst themselves and make a decision on where they stand. But when the sun rises on the following morning, Olga is found dead in her private pool, apparently murdered by one of the guests...
Thea draws upon her experience in the law and dealing with witnesses, securing the crime scene and confronting each of her fellow guests one by one as to their whereabouts the previous night and the specific damaging leverage that Olga seems to have held over each of them. The tension is ramped up when another guest is killed in his room, then the unintentional release of a partly-tame but hungry big cat when Thea scours the island looking for a means of communication or escape.
The Pledge is certainly at the high-camp end of the thriller-suspense spectrum, with characters taking absurd risks and accusations flying every which way as each of the characters deals with the stresses of isolation and self-reliance in their own way. Perhaps the addition of the panther was just one step too far, taking the narrative into almost farcical territory, but both the cast of characters and the simultaneously beautiful but oppressive setting were both well-developed to a fully-saturated degree. I suspect that Sarah Yarwood-Lovett skated just within the barriers of censorship with her eviscerating depiction of a corpulent, arrogant and lecherous minor royal who relies on a lifetime of never having been held accountable for his many misdemeanours. Clearly, Yarwood-Lovett is not holding out for an OBE!
I found The Pledge an intriguing and entertaining read, drawing on many pressing real-life global issues around wealth and sustainability. It also presents an opportunity for the reader to consider their own attitudes to privilege and responsibility, utilising the African proverb about the power of a single mosquito as a call to action on climate change and sustainability. I didn't find the book overly preachy, but it did reinforce my frustration at the realistic depictions of self-interested inertia and reluctance on the part of the powerful to effect any genuine long-term change.
I'm interested to see that Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will continue in this vein of environmentally-related thrillers, with an upcoming release titled The Prospect, focused on pharmaceutical prospecting in rainforest environments, (not yet listed on Goodreads) planned for publication on 12 August 2027.
My thanks to the author, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, publisher Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
March 27, 2026
I do like the idea of being invited as a guest on a luxurious island paradise … but not so much without my phone and tech comforts close at hand, especially in the case of an emergency!
What's better than a locked-room thriller? A locked-room thriller set on a luxurious, completely isolated Caribbean island!
Thea Harrington KC is celebrating the biggest win of her career. She realises how life-changing this is for her as she arrives home, contemplating her options for the future, including the choices she needs to face regarding her increasingly distant husband, Charles. But when she discovers there is a cryptic gift waiting for her, all of her previous thoughts are quickly forgotten as she tries to decipher its clues.
Once she does, she finds herself quickly whisked away to a private island as the guest of the wealthy and influential Olga Helgesdotter. She is surprised to find that her fellow guests are some of the world's wealthiest and most prominent individuals, including a model, a singing sensation, an obnoxious royal and, most surprisingly, her husband! Thea finds herself at a loss as to why she's been included in this elite group. When their host enlightens them as to why they're all there, things get more than a little intense!! Even more surprising is their willingness to part with their smart phones as soon as they arrive!
Olga has invited this illustrious group together because she wants them to commit to a pledge: that they will contribute half of their collective, considerable wealth towards the fight for climate change. There's a journalist (conveniently) on standby to compile a press release of the momentous moment when they all reach an agreement ... and she's quite sure they will all agree because she makes it very clear that if they don't, she can make life rather uncomfortable for those who choose not to comply. But Olga, wanting to appear magnanimous, says she'll allow them to consider her 'offer' overnight before a 'sign or decline' event the following morning.
Thea is still trying to figure out why she's been summoned together with this group into which she surely doesn't fit. And when morning arrives and she discovers Olga's dead body - it quickly becomes apparent that she's the only one on the island with the ability for clear, level-headed thinking. And the body count starts to rise ... and the pressure mounts. Will Thea escape the island with her life?
This was slow to start with, but once it picked up, the pace just didn't stop. For me, this type of book is made all the better when none of the characters is particularly likeable, but the writing is so good that you still want to keep reading about them, just to see exactly how vile they can be and what's going to happen to them. And it's exactly that - their unlikability - that lends itself to the seam of disquiet that threads itself through the entire story. There's always someone lurking somewhere just out of your sightline, always some hint of a clue or a fact that you think you've missed and are trying to remember. This is a story that makes you think. It's a dark, tense, compelling study of how people in threatening situations react. Is 'fight or flight' different for the rich and famous or are we all just the same when put into a desperate situation?
There are jungle scenes that are so vivid that I could almost feel the leaves of the trees brushing against my arms, and the claustrophobic humidity closing in around me. The descriptions are lush, and incredibly detailed. It felt like the author had physically experienced what she was writing about.
If you're looking for an immersive thrilling read, then I highly recommend The Pledge.
What's better than a locked-room thriller? A locked-room thriller set on a luxurious, completely isolated Caribbean island!
Thea Harrington KC is celebrating the biggest win of her career. She realises how life-changing this is for her as she arrives home, contemplating her options for the future, including the choices she needs to face regarding her increasingly distant husband, Charles. But when she discovers there is a cryptic gift waiting for her, all of her previous thoughts are quickly forgotten as she tries to decipher its clues.
Once she does, she finds herself quickly whisked away to a private island as the guest of the wealthy and influential Olga Helgesdotter. She is surprised to find that her fellow guests are some of the world's wealthiest and most prominent individuals, including a model, a singing sensation, an obnoxious royal and, most surprisingly, her husband! Thea finds herself at a loss as to why she's been included in this elite group. When their host enlightens them as to why they're all there, things get more than a little intense!! Even more surprising is their willingness to part with their smart phones as soon as they arrive!
Olga has invited this illustrious group together because she wants them to commit to a pledge: that they will contribute half of their collective, considerable wealth towards the fight for climate change. There's a journalist (conveniently) on standby to compile a press release of the momentous moment when they all reach an agreement ... and she's quite sure they will all agree because she makes it very clear that if they don't, she can make life rather uncomfortable for those who choose not to comply. But Olga, wanting to appear magnanimous, says she'll allow them to consider her 'offer' overnight before a 'sign or decline' event the following morning.
Thea is still trying to figure out why she's been summoned together with this group into which she surely doesn't fit. And when morning arrives and she discovers Olga's dead body - it quickly becomes apparent that she's the only one on the island with the ability for clear, level-headed thinking. And the body count starts to rise ... and the pressure mounts. Will Thea escape the island with her life?
This was slow to start with, but once it picked up, the pace just didn't stop. For me, this type of book is made all the better when none of the characters is particularly likeable, but the writing is so good that you still want to keep reading about them, just to see exactly how vile they can be and what's going to happen to them. And it's exactly that - their unlikability - that lends itself to the seam of disquiet that threads itself through the entire story. There's always someone lurking somewhere just out of your sightline, always some hint of a clue or a fact that you think you've missed and are trying to remember. This is a story that makes you think. It's a dark, tense, compelling study of how people in threatening situations react. Is 'fight or flight' different for the rich and famous or are we all just the same when put into a desperate situation?
There are jungle scenes that are so vivid that I could almost feel the leaves of the trees brushing against my arms, and the claustrophobic humidity closing in around me. The descriptions are lush, and incredibly detailed. It felt like the author had physically experienced what she was writing about.
If you're looking for an immersive thrilling read, then I highly recommend The Pledge.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 2.2/5
Having cut her crime writing teeth on the Nell Ward series, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett has decided to move away from the cosy mystery market and enter into the world of harder-edged thrillers instead. As the author did with her previous books, she draws on her background working in the field of ecology for the inspiration for this story.
A group of the world's wealthiest individuals are invited to a private Caribbean island by its owner - the equally wealthy and influential, Olga Helgesdotter. Olga wants each of the invitees to sign up to "The Pledge" and commit a significant portion of their wealth to support the fight against climate change. In addition to the super-rich attendees, there is also Thea Harrington KC, fresh from her victory in a high profile trial. Thea is at something of a loss as to why she has been brought to the island with her well-to-do companions, but events are about to become even more discombobulating!
I was attracted by the premise and the opening sections of the novel are engaging and intriguing, even if a little far-fetched. For example, the scene where Olga addresses the gathering of oligarchs reminded me of Auric Goldfinger seeking to gain the commitment of the assembled crime bosses to buy into his plan to steal the contents of Fort Knox, in the well-known James Bond movie. Sadly, after the encouraging start, the remainder of the novel does not live up to its early promise.
The main body of the story really does drag and I had to fight the temptation to call time on it. I hate not finishing a book, but this was a struggle at times. Eventually the pace does pick up, but not until the final third of the story. Sarah Yarwood-Lovett is clearly an intelligent person and that generally comes through in her writing, but it also lacks the polished execution of more accomplished writers of crime fiction. The components are all there, but the assembly doesn't deliver the desired result. The plot developments stretch credulity too far and the characterisation is too often superficial. The lack of depth makes the protagonists not only unrelatable and unbelievable, but also unappealing. Consequently, the overall impact is disappointing and make this no more than a passable read in a crowded marketplace.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
Having cut her crime writing teeth on the Nell Ward series, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett has decided to move away from the cosy mystery market and enter into the world of harder-edged thrillers instead. As the author did with her previous books, she draws on her background working in the field of ecology for the inspiration for this story.
A group of the world's wealthiest individuals are invited to a private Caribbean island by its owner - the equally wealthy and influential, Olga Helgesdotter. Olga wants each of the invitees to sign up to "The Pledge" and commit a significant portion of their wealth to support the fight against climate change. In addition to the super-rich attendees, there is also Thea Harrington KC, fresh from her victory in a high profile trial. Thea is at something of a loss as to why she has been brought to the island with her well-to-do companions, but events are about to become even more discombobulating!
I was attracted by the premise and the opening sections of the novel are engaging and intriguing, even if a little far-fetched. For example, the scene where Olga addresses the gathering of oligarchs reminded me of Auric Goldfinger seeking to gain the commitment of the assembled crime bosses to buy into his plan to steal the contents of Fort Knox, in the well-known James Bond movie. Sadly, after the encouraging start, the remainder of the novel does not live up to its early promise.
The main body of the story really does drag and I had to fight the temptation to call time on it. I hate not finishing a book, but this was a struggle at times. Eventually the pace does pick up, but not until the final third of the story. Sarah Yarwood-Lovett is clearly an intelligent person and that generally comes through in her writing, but it also lacks the polished execution of more accomplished writers of crime fiction. The components are all there, but the assembly doesn't deliver the desired result. The plot developments stretch credulity too far and the characterisation is too often superficial. The lack of depth makes the protagonists not only unrelatable and unbelievable, but also unappealing. Consequently, the overall impact is disappointing and make this no more than a passable read in a crowded marketplace.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Equal parts glamour, tension, and deliciously twisty mystery—The Pledge is a sun‑drenched thriller that goes down like a cocktail with a razor blade hidden inside.
Thea, a brilliant lawyer riding high after a career‑defining win, is swept away to an exclusive Caribbean island with zero warning. What looks at first like the ultimate luxury getaway quickly reveals itself to be something far stranger: a gathering of the ultra‑rich, each pressured to make “The Pledge”—to give away half their vast fortunes in the name of saving the planet.
The setup gives perfect White Lotus meets Glass Onion energy: glossy surfaces, oversized egos, hidden grudges, and a hostess with motives far murkier than her sales pitch. The tension builds beautifully as the cracks show within this powerful guest list—and when their host ends up dead, those cracks become fractures.
I loved Thea as a protagonist. She’s sharp, grounded, and a little out of her depth among billionaires, but her quick thinking and lawyer’s intuition make her such an engaging lens to watch the chaos unfold. As more secrets spill and the suspicions turn toward her, the island starts to feel wonderfully claustrophobic—a paradise turned pressure cooker.
The pacing is slick and addictive, with just the right mix of humour, interpersonal drama, and escalating danger. And when another body drops, the stakes leap from uncomfortable to genuinely pulse‑pounding. Sarah Yarwood‑Lovett balances social commentary, luxury escapism, and classic whodunnit beats in a way that feels effortless and hugely entertaining.
If you enjoy destination thrillers with a sharp edge, morally messy characters, and twists that keep you on your toes, The Pledge is an absolute treat. Warm, witty, tense, and wonderfully bingeable.
with thanks to Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.
Thea, a brilliant lawyer riding high after a career‑defining win, is swept away to an exclusive Caribbean island with zero warning. What looks at first like the ultimate luxury getaway quickly reveals itself to be something far stranger: a gathering of the ultra‑rich, each pressured to make “The Pledge”—to give away half their vast fortunes in the name of saving the planet.
The setup gives perfect White Lotus meets Glass Onion energy: glossy surfaces, oversized egos, hidden grudges, and a hostess with motives far murkier than her sales pitch. The tension builds beautifully as the cracks show within this powerful guest list—and when their host ends up dead, those cracks become fractures.
I loved Thea as a protagonist. She’s sharp, grounded, and a little out of her depth among billionaires, but her quick thinking and lawyer’s intuition make her such an engaging lens to watch the chaos unfold. As more secrets spill and the suspicions turn toward her, the island starts to feel wonderfully claustrophobic—a paradise turned pressure cooker.
The pacing is slick and addictive, with just the right mix of humour, interpersonal drama, and escalating danger. And when another body drops, the stakes leap from uncomfortable to genuinely pulse‑pounding. Sarah Yarwood‑Lovett balances social commentary, luxury escapism, and classic whodunnit beats in a way that feels effortless and hugely entertaining.
If you enjoy destination thrillers with a sharp edge, morally messy characters, and twists that keep you on your toes, The Pledge is an absolute treat. Warm, witty, tense, and wonderfully bingeable.
with thanks to Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a gripping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat at times and anxious to come to the conclusion.
Thea is celebrating a huge career win when she receives a coded invitation to a private island. Intrigued, she hops on a private jet to find herself surrounded by the rich and famous - a pop singer, a model, 4 of the richest people in the world, a journalist, a prince and...her husband. The owner of the island, Olga not-so-subtly threatens them into taking "the pledge" - an agreement to invest half their amassed fortunes for the good of the planet, but at the sake of their own companies. Then the next morning she turns up dead. With all the staff on the island sent away, their phones sealed away, and the harbour gates shut, they have no way off the island. And which one of them is the killer?
The characters are brilliantly written, especially the most despicable ones - my skin was crawling at the descriptions of the prince, he's such an unredeemable character!
The little cliques that develop are so interesting. It's something of a study into human nature - who will side with whom and why?
The book was well-paced. As Thea investigates, just when things start to slow down, something new drops - such as a chandelier...on a person. The only thing that bothered me a little about the book was that there were parts that you had to suspend your disbelief for - such as why no one ever really seems to catch Thea for her snooping, despite being on a tiny private island, and why the characters' entourages agree to let them go alone, and let them be left alone. It seems unlikely, but it makes the book even more isolating.
In the end, it was a good conclusion and a story I really enjoyed.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Thea is celebrating a huge career win when she receives a coded invitation to a private island. Intrigued, she hops on a private jet to find herself surrounded by the rich and famous - a pop singer, a model, 4 of the richest people in the world, a journalist, a prince and...her husband. The owner of the island, Olga not-so-subtly threatens them into taking "the pledge" - an agreement to invest half their amassed fortunes for the good of the planet, but at the sake of their own companies. Then the next morning she turns up dead. With all the staff on the island sent away, their phones sealed away, and the harbour gates shut, they have no way off the island. And which one of them is the killer?
The characters are brilliantly written, especially the most despicable ones - my skin was crawling at the descriptions of the prince, he's such an unredeemable character!
The little cliques that develop are so interesting. It's something of a study into human nature - who will side with whom and why?
The book was well-paced. As Thea investigates, just when things start to slow down, something new drops - such as a chandelier...on a person. The only thing that bothered me a little about the book was that there were parts that you had to suspend your disbelief for - such as why no one ever really seems to catch Thea for her snooping, despite being on a tiny private island, and why the characters' entourages agree to let them go alone, and let them be left alone. It seems unlikely, but it makes the book even more isolating.
In the end, it was a good conclusion and a story I really enjoyed.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a story about power, deceit, and murder. Obviously, Thea didn't know this when she unravelled the cryptic invite that led her to an airport. Then whisked away to a luxury retreat island by Olga, a mega-rich woman who wants to change the world. Olga has gathered a group together that consists of a Prince, a tech mogul, a pop singer, billionaires, and Thea, a lawyer and also the surprise is that her husband is also invited.
This is the crème de la crème of society, those with power, influence and plenty of money. That doesn't mean they are squeaky clean and without faults. This becomes obvious after Olga is murdered. The group are alone on an island, no way out, no way of getting in touch with others, and they all have a motive!
This is such an interesting book about people, their part in the societies that they inhabit, and the fact that they all have something to hide makes this very addictive reading. Pitting guest against guest, and with Thea as the one with a legal background, the story is from her perspective. That doesn't mean she is innocent, though. There is plenty of tension, red herrings, and animosity among the guests, and the fact that this is all set on an island means the killer is amongst them.
I really enjoyed this one, lots of intrigue, with dark undertones, and if I am honest, not very likeable characters. This works well as it makes you think the worst of each character, which works well within this style and genre.
If you are a fan of murder, mystery thrillers, then this is one you may well enjoy as I did. I would be very happy to recommend it.
This is the crème de la crème of society, those with power, influence and plenty of money. That doesn't mean they are squeaky clean and without faults. This becomes obvious after Olga is murdered. The group are alone on an island, no way out, no way of getting in touch with others, and they all have a motive!
This is such an interesting book about people, their part in the societies that they inhabit, and the fact that they all have something to hide makes this very addictive reading. Pitting guest against guest, and with Thea as the one with a legal background, the story is from her perspective. That doesn't mean she is innocent, though. There is plenty of tension, red herrings, and animosity among the guests, and the fact that this is all set on an island means the killer is amongst them.
I really enjoyed this one, lots of intrigue, with dark undertones, and if I am honest, not very likeable characters. This works well as it makes you think the worst of each character, which works well within this style and genre.
If you are a fan of murder, mystery thrillers, then this is one you may well enjoy as I did. I would be very happy to recommend it.
March 31, 2026
The Pledge is a tense locked room thriller set on a Caribbean island that draws on the author's background as an ecologist.
Thea Harrington is a barrister who, hot on the heels of a ground-breaking win in court, receives a mysterious invitation and is soon whisked off to in a private jet to an island on the Caribbean. There she finds herself in the company not just of her philandering husband but a group of some of the world's wealthiest individuals, all hosted by the island's owner and equally wealthy Olga. Olga wants them all to commit a significant part of their fortunes to support the fight against climate change - but why has she invited Thea? Her legal background comes to the fore when Olga is found dead the next morning - with only the group on the island and with no contact with the outside world, the killer is amongst them, and Thea is in a race against time to figure out who it is.
Thea is an interesting protagonist as she uses her sharp brain to try and piece things together. But as for the others - they may be super successful and inordinately wealthy but they are a frankly pretty unlikeable bunch - with questionable moral compasses and a bucketload of secrets amongst them. Can any of them be trusted? The book gathers pace as it goes and becomes tense and twisty with the island setting adding an extra layer of threat and a real sense of claustrophobia.
It is a clever combination - a locked room mystery with an ecological message and no shortage of social commentary. And a destination thriller and the opportunity for some armchair travel to warmer climes is always going to be a good read for me!
Thea Harrington is a barrister who, hot on the heels of a ground-breaking win in court, receives a mysterious invitation and is soon whisked off to in a private jet to an island on the Caribbean. There she finds herself in the company not just of her philandering husband but a group of some of the world's wealthiest individuals, all hosted by the island's owner and equally wealthy Olga. Olga wants them all to commit a significant part of their fortunes to support the fight against climate change - but why has she invited Thea? Her legal background comes to the fore when Olga is found dead the next morning - with only the group on the island and with no contact with the outside world, the killer is amongst them, and Thea is in a race against time to figure out who it is.
Thea is an interesting protagonist as she uses her sharp brain to try and piece things together. But as for the others - they may be super successful and inordinately wealthy but they are a frankly pretty unlikeable bunch - with questionable moral compasses and a bucketload of secrets amongst them. Can any of them be trusted? The book gathers pace as it goes and becomes tense and twisty with the island setting adding an extra layer of threat and a real sense of claustrophobia.
It is a clever combination - a locked room mystery with an ecological message and no shortage of social commentary. And a destination thriller and the opportunity for some armchair travel to warmer climes is always going to be a good read for me!
March 28, 2026
If you’re drawn to the idea of an exotic destination thriller with a suspenseful locked-room vibe, then look no further than this new title from Sarah Yarwood-Lovett. Based on the concept of ‘greenwashing,’ it’s a complex but addictive read that pivots around greed, privilege, secrets and blackmail, and it held me captive from first page to last.
At the heart of the story is KC Thea, who after receiving a cryptic invitation finds herself whisked off to a private Caribbean island, where she meets her enigmatic host and fellow guests—a small, high-profile group of the extremely wealthy and influential—and is invited, together with them, to participate in a greenwashing scam.
The staff has been dismissed, all communications disabled, and the only access to and from the island closed off. The morning after dropping her bombshell, their host is found dead.
What follows is a nail-biting race to flush out the killer, as everyone falls under suspicion and more guests meet a gory end.
Thea is a brilliant protagonist, her legal training kicking in to investigate—mostly covertly—all while trying to keep herself safe and out of the frame. The other characters are a mix of the empathetic and downright loathsome, which always guarantees fireworks.
Yarwood-Lovett sustains the pace and suspense throughout and doesn’t shy away from graphic description when appropriate. I may have had to suspend belief now and again, but that didn’t affect my overall enjoyment.
A departure from this author’s hugely successful cosy mystery series, but definitely another string to her bow, and one I’d like to see more of.
*Greenwashing is the deliberate tactic of making a company or product appear more eco friendly than it is, while continuing to pursue harmful practices.
At the heart of the story is KC Thea, who after receiving a cryptic invitation finds herself whisked off to a private Caribbean island, where she meets her enigmatic host and fellow guests—a small, high-profile group of the extremely wealthy and influential—and is invited, together with them, to participate in a greenwashing scam.
The staff has been dismissed, all communications disabled, and the only access to and from the island closed off. The morning after dropping her bombshell, their host is found dead.
What follows is a nail-biting race to flush out the killer, as everyone falls under suspicion and more guests meet a gory end.
Thea is a brilliant protagonist, her legal training kicking in to investigate—mostly covertly—all while trying to keep herself safe and out of the frame. The other characters are a mix of the empathetic and downright loathsome, which always guarantees fireworks.
Yarwood-Lovett sustains the pace and suspense throughout and doesn’t shy away from graphic description when appropriate. I may have had to suspend belief now and again, but that didn’t affect my overall enjoyment.
A departure from this author’s hugely successful cosy mystery series, but definitely another string to her bow, and one I’d like to see more of.
*Greenwashing is the deliberate tactic of making a company or product appear more eco friendly than it is, while continuing to pursue harmful practices.
March 18, 2026
This started off a little slow for me, but once it picked up pace, it really didn’t let go. From that point on, it was completely gripping, I found myself holding my breath more than once (and the snakes… absolutely not 😳).
The premise is brilliant: a group of ultra-wealthy individuals are invited to a private Caribbean island by the mysterious Olga Helgesdotter, under the guise of committing their fortunes to tackling climate change. Among them is Thea Harrington KC, who arrives following a cryptic puzzle invitation, already setting the tone for something far more sinister.
When Olga is murdered and all communication with the outside world is cut off, the tension ramps up instantly. With no way to leave the island and secrets lurking beneath the surface, suspicion falls on everyone, including Thea herself.
I’ll be honest, this isn’t a book where you warm to many characters. Most of them are deeply unlikeable (Hugh especially!), which actually adds to the unease. You’re constantly questioning motives, and even wondering if Thea can be trusted.
The atmosphere becomes incredibly claustrophobic as the story unfolds, particularly during the scenes in the jungle. The final stretch of the book had me completely hooked, I just wanted to shout at Thea to hurry up!
This is a definite shift away from cosy crime for the author, and it works brilliantly. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, or “trapped on an island with no escape” thrillers, this is absolutely one to pick up.
The premise is brilliant: a group of ultra-wealthy individuals are invited to a private Caribbean island by the mysterious Olga Helgesdotter, under the guise of committing their fortunes to tackling climate change. Among them is Thea Harrington KC, who arrives following a cryptic puzzle invitation, already setting the tone for something far more sinister.
When Olga is murdered and all communication with the outside world is cut off, the tension ramps up instantly. With no way to leave the island and secrets lurking beneath the surface, suspicion falls on everyone, including Thea herself.
I’ll be honest, this isn’t a book where you warm to many characters. Most of them are deeply unlikeable (Hugh especially!), which actually adds to the unease. You’re constantly questioning motives, and even wondering if Thea can be trusted.
The atmosphere becomes incredibly claustrophobic as the story unfolds, particularly during the scenes in the jungle. The final stretch of the book had me completely hooked, I just wanted to shout at Thea to hurry up!
This is a definite shift away from cosy crime for the author, and it works brilliantly. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, or “trapped on an island with no escape” thrillers, this is absolutely one to pick up.
March 28, 2026
PR/GIFTED- Thank you so much to Zaffre and Compuslive readers for having me on this tour, I really enjoyed this one.
Thea receives a cryptic invitation to a luxury Caribbean island. Her fellow guests are some of the world’s richest people, tech bros and a pop star. By the morning their host is dead, there’s no way to contact for help or get off the island. One by one the guests are being murdered, Thea needs to fight for survival.
I love the setting of this book, love a destination thriller and it made me start to think of summer and holidays. It also has one of my favourite tropes, rich people behaving badly. A lot of these characters are unlikable, but that’s what makes it fun reading because I wanted to see what awful things they would do next, or if they got what they deserved for being so awful! Hugh is the absolute worst, he reminded me of a certain prince in our royal family that has not behaved too well in recent years.I thought it was very relevant, and also the commentary that certain people, like the royals, can seem to get away with a lot of things or can buy their way out of certain situations. I also thought this highlighted the issue of climate change well, another very relevant topic.
Despite there being some unlikable characters, there were some really great ones as well. I loved Thea, such a strong character. I loved the way she took charge but also was brave in the face of the danger. I liked hers and Asha’s friendship as well.I also enjoyed her character growth throughout the book and how she came out of the whole situation.
I did feel the pacing was a little up and down, it seemed fast paced to begin with, then seemed to be quite slow in the middle but did pick up in the last third of the book.
There were lots of twists and turns in this book to keep you reading. I felt like the ending was a very satisfying conclusion to the story. I would definitely recommend this if you want a good destination thriller.
Thea receives a cryptic invitation to a luxury Caribbean island. Her fellow guests are some of the world’s richest people, tech bros and a pop star. By the morning their host is dead, there’s no way to contact for help or get off the island. One by one the guests are being murdered, Thea needs to fight for survival.
I love the setting of this book, love a destination thriller and it made me start to think of summer and holidays. It also has one of my favourite tropes, rich people behaving badly. A lot of these characters are unlikable, but that’s what makes it fun reading because I wanted to see what awful things they would do next, or if they got what they deserved for being so awful! Hugh is the absolute worst, he reminded me of a certain prince in our royal family that has not behaved too well in recent years.I thought it was very relevant, and also the commentary that certain people, like the royals, can seem to get away with a lot of things or can buy their way out of certain situations. I also thought this highlighted the issue of climate change well, another very relevant topic.
Despite there being some unlikable characters, there were some really great ones as well. I loved Thea, such a strong character. I loved the way she took charge but also was brave in the face of the danger. I liked hers and Asha’s friendship as well.I also enjoyed her character growth throughout the book and how she came out of the whole situation.
I did feel the pacing was a little up and down, it seemed fast paced to begin with, then seemed to be quite slow in the middle but did pick up in the last third of the book.
There were lots of twists and turns in this book to keep you reading. I felt like the ending was a very satisfying conclusion to the story. I would definitely recommend this if you want a good destination thriller.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thea Harrington is a barrister who has just won a huge environmental case in favour of the Government. Her personal life is a mess as her husband Charles, the current energy minister, is a serial philanderer and not very discreet about it.
There is public uproar at this victory and when she gets home she finds an invite in the form of a puzzle to a mysterious island in the Caribbean. Her assistant then calls and tells her that all of her addresses have been released publicly. She decides to do the trip. When she gets on the plane, she discovers not only her husband on there, but also Prince Hubert, a close friend of Charles and basically a terrible person because he knows he is never called to task for the thing he does.
On the island there are some Americans including a model, a singer and people who top the forbes list.
Olga, their host, tells them they are there because she has a vision about making the world a better place and that she expects their decision the next morning. It will mean committing them to something that is horrendously wrong.
The next morning Thea is woken by screams and on investigation, someone has found Olga dead in her pool.
They can't raise help as Olga sent the staff away, confiscated their phones and locked the harbour gate.
Under pressure to find out who the murderer is, no one can trust another person.
A real page turner.
There is public uproar at this victory and when she gets home she finds an invite in the form of a puzzle to a mysterious island in the Caribbean. Her assistant then calls and tells her that all of her addresses have been released publicly. She decides to do the trip. When she gets on the plane, she discovers not only her husband on there, but also Prince Hubert, a close friend of Charles and basically a terrible person because he knows he is never called to task for the thing he does.
On the island there are some Americans including a model, a singer and people who top the forbes list.
Olga, their host, tells them they are there because she has a vision about making the world a better place and that she expects their decision the next morning. It will mean committing them to something that is horrendously wrong.
The next morning Thea is woken by screams and on investigation, someone has found Olga dead in her pool.
They can't raise help as Olga sent the staff away, confiscated their phones and locked the harbour gate.
Under pressure to find out who the murderer is, no one can trust another person.
A real page turner.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thea, a barrister, receives a cryptic invitation after winning a trial and is soon jetting off to the private island of St. Innocent. This ends up no normal holiday when she finds the other guests are all billionaires, so why is Thea there? Soon the host is dead and so is the chance of getting off the island. As guests are picked off one by one it becomes clear that this is a fight for survival.
This was my first book by this author but I enjoy a survival thriller, especially when set in an exotic setting. This ended up an entertaining read and the author did a good job at creating a dark, suspenseful atmosphere. Straight away I was drawn into the storyline and intrigued at some of the situations faced, as well as the characters themselves. Although many were unlikeable, it was fascinating discovering their personalities and the power play within the group.
As the story continued I found that it began to lose a bit of momentum and having read quite a few similar storylines in other books, it didn’t fully stand out. Saying that, there were some original elements and entertaining moments, as previously mentioned. Even though this ended up slow in places, overall it was an enjoyable thriller and I would be interested to see what else the author writes. 3.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
This was my first book by this author but I enjoy a survival thriller, especially when set in an exotic setting. This ended up an entertaining read and the author did a good job at creating a dark, suspenseful atmosphere. Straight away I was drawn into the storyline and intrigued at some of the situations faced, as well as the characters themselves. Although many were unlikeable, it was fascinating discovering their personalities and the power play within the group.
As the story continued I found that it began to lose a bit of momentum and having read quite a few similar storylines in other books, it didn’t fully stand out. Saying that, there were some original elements and entertaining moments, as previously mentioned. Even though this ended up slow in places, overall it was an enjoyable thriller and I would be interested to see what else the author writes. 3.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
April 28, 2026
The Pledge is my first book by this author, and it won't be my last! A destination thriller that had me hooked from page one!
A slow-burning story which introduces us to Thea, a barrister who has just won a high-profile contentious case. She receives an invitation that intrigues her, so she accepts and sets out on a mysterious journey.
The destination turns out to be an island belonging to Olga, a billionaire with a deal for a select group of people. Consisting of billionaires, Thea, a member of the Royal family and Thea's husband! She confiscates all mobiles and has dismissed the staff for the entire weekend. This leaves the visitors and Olga alone. She gives them details of a deal she wants them all involved in, one which nobody is keen to be a part of. Then things begin to go wrong...really wrong!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Pledge! The setting was beautifully vivid and the characters, even though most weren't likeable, had been created so well. I could almost imagine which member of the royal family it could have been in real life!
As the bodies started to pile up, the tension was so taut I could feel it myself. The situations Thea ended up in had me thinking she was going to be next.
The twists and turns had me going in all different directions and mainly wrong ones too! A great immersive read with tons of characters to hate along the way!
A slow-burning story which introduces us to Thea, a barrister who has just won a high-profile contentious case. She receives an invitation that intrigues her, so she accepts and sets out on a mysterious journey.
The destination turns out to be an island belonging to Olga, a billionaire with a deal for a select group of people. Consisting of billionaires, Thea, a member of the Royal family and Thea's husband! She confiscates all mobiles and has dismissed the staff for the entire weekend. This leaves the visitors and Olga alone. She gives them details of a deal she wants them all involved in, one which nobody is keen to be a part of. Then things begin to go wrong...really wrong!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Pledge! The setting was beautifully vivid and the characters, even though most weren't likeable, had been created so well. I could almost imagine which member of the royal family it could have been in real life!
As the bodies started to pile up, the tension was so taut I could feel it myself. The situations Thea ended up in had me thinking she was going to be next.
The twists and turns had me going in all different directions and mainly wrong ones too! A great immersive read with tons of characters to hate along the way!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I hadn’t read any books by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett and was excited to read The Pledge.
Olga, a billionaire, invites Thea, a successful London Lawyer, to St Innocents in the Caribbean for legal counsel. Thea flies out to St Innocents on a private jet with business leaders, social media and pop-stars and also a sleazy British royal prince. The premise is that this group of the 1%, will make The Pledge to give a portion of their fortunes to fight climate change and Thea will advise.
Olga announces that they will be left on their own to work on The Pledge and she sends all her staff off the island and closes the harbour. She also confiscates all mobile devices making the isolation complete. The tension really builds as does the paranoia and the bodycount.
Thea and the others try to find an escape off the island, figure out who they can trust and survive.
I initially found it quite hard to get into the book, but when as the group find themselves just trying to survive the pace picked up. I really felt the sense of peril and just didn’t know how it would end and whether anyone would survive.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Bonnier Books for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Olga, a billionaire, invites Thea, a successful London Lawyer, to St Innocents in the Caribbean for legal counsel. Thea flies out to St Innocents on a private jet with business leaders, social media and pop-stars and also a sleazy British royal prince. The premise is that this group of the 1%, will make The Pledge to give a portion of their fortunes to fight climate change and Thea will advise.
Olga announces that they will be left on their own to work on The Pledge and she sends all her staff off the island and closes the harbour. She also confiscates all mobile devices making the isolation complete. The tension really builds as does the paranoia and the bodycount.
Thea and the others try to find an escape off the island, figure out who they can trust and survive.
I initially found it quite hard to get into the book, but when as the group find themselves just trying to survive the pace picked up. I really felt the sense of peril and just didn’t know how it would end and whether anyone would survive.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Bonnier Books for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 26, 2026
My first book by this author. The early chapters that introduce us to Thea, who has just won a case for the government brought against them for violating their agreement with the Climate Change Commission, finds Thea threatened by demonstrators and at a loose end because her husband plans to be away. So when she manages to solve a riddle that invites her to the island of a millionaire she decides to go! The journey by yacht to the island shows the millionaires in a very poor light and leaves me with no sympathy for them.
The next few chapters I found a little difficult to follow - not really quite appreciating the host's, Olga's, intentions in inviting such rich and influential characters to collect on her island. That such millionaires would allow themselves to be isolated was somewhat surprising and a little far-fetched. That Olga isolates them to force a Sign or Decline agreement is interesting but confusing - or perhaps just a control attempt - after all it appears Olga knows all their secrets!!
The pace picks up as the bodies collect and everyone suspects everyone else.
Well developed characters, though most are very unlikeable.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Sarah Yarwood-Lovett/Bonnier Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
The next few chapters I found a little difficult to follow - not really quite appreciating the host's, Olga's, intentions in inviting such rich and influential characters to collect on her island. That such millionaires would allow themselves to be isolated was somewhat surprising and a little far-fetched. That Olga isolates them to force a Sign or Decline agreement is interesting but confusing - or perhaps just a control attempt - after all it appears Olga knows all their secrets!!
The pace picks up as the bodies collect and everyone suspects everyone else.
Well developed characters, though most are very unlikeable.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Sarah Yarwood-Lovett/Bonnier Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 4, 2026
I really wanted to love this one. I thought I would… but I just don’t think it was for me.
As you know, I’ll never trash a book. I’ll always be honest, always constructive, and always highlight what worked alongside what didn’t.
For me, the first 150 pages dragged. I felt lost more than immersed. There was a lot to take in—each character’s role, their individual backstories, Olga and her panther, all of it layered in at once, and instead of building intrigue, it felt overwhelming. A lot was happening in terms of detail, but not much was actually moving.
Yes, there’s a death early on, but from there it settles into a “who killed who” rhythm that, for me, didn’t build the tension I wanted. It leaned heavily into the characters’ professions and systems around them, which made it feel dense—almost political without actually being about politics, if that makes sense.
That said, the writing itself is solid. It’s descriptive, it flows well, and structurally it holds together. No glaring plot holes, no confusion in the mechanics of the story. It just didn’t hit emotionally.
And that’s the thing, thrillers are my genre. I want that sharp, gut-punch tension, the kind that leaves you reeling. This one didn’t quite get there for me.
The plot is there. The story is there. But getting to it felt too drawn out.
I will absolutely try this author again, because the writing shows real strength. This one just didn’t land the way I’d hoped.
And as always—just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t be your next 5-star read. Reading is completely subjective.
Thank you Zaffre for the copy for an honest review ✨
As you know, I’ll never trash a book. I’ll always be honest, always constructive, and always highlight what worked alongside what didn’t.
For me, the first 150 pages dragged. I felt lost more than immersed. There was a lot to take in—each character’s role, their individual backstories, Olga and her panther, all of it layered in at once, and instead of building intrigue, it felt overwhelming. A lot was happening in terms of detail, but not much was actually moving.
Yes, there’s a death early on, but from there it settles into a “who killed who” rhythm that, for me, didn’t build the tension I wanted. It leaned heavily into the characters’ professions and systems around them, which made it feel dense—almost political without actually being about politics, if that makes sense.
That said, the writing itself is solid. It’s descriptive, it flows well, and structurally it holds together. No glaring plot holes, no confusion in the mechanics of the story. It just didn’t hit emotionally.
And that’s the thing, thrillers are my genre. I want that sharp, gut-punch tension, the kind that leaves you reeling. This one didn’t quite get there for me.
The plot is there. The story is there. But getting to it felt too drawn out.
I will absolutely try this author again, because the writing shows real strength. This one just didn’t land the way I’d hoped.
And as always—just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t be your next 5-star read. Reading is completely subjective.
Thank you Zaffre for the copy for an honest review ✨
April 1, 2026
My first book by this author & what a tantalising premise.
Thea Harrington is a high-flying barrister & has just won a prestigious environmental case in favour of the British government. On returning home, she discovers a cryptic gift which she deciphers & duly sets off to a pre-arranged rendezvous. She finds herself on a plane travelling to an exclusive private island owned by multimillionaire, Olga. Unfortunately, other guests include her philandering husband, a very slimy prince of the realm & various wealthy business people as well as a journalist & a singer. On arrival, Olga announces that she has a vision of making the world a better place & she expects everyone there to agree to her plans, implying they will regret saying no.
The staff are sent away. The island is locked down. Olga is found dead next morning.
Fast paced & with intrigue aplenty, this book certainly keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is. Greenwashing is touched upon, but it is the secrets of all concerned that cause the twists & turns in the plot. Who are these people in reality? Not one of them is particularly likeable, but the unrelenting search for truth by Thea has to be admired. An entertaining & enjoyable read.
Thea Harrington is a high-flying barrister & has just won a prestigious environmental case in favour of the British government. On returning home, she discovers a cryptic gift which she deciphers & duly sets off to a pre-arranged rendezvous. She finds herself on a plane travelling to an exclusive private island owned by multimillionaire, Olga. Unfortunately, other guests include her philandering husband, a very slimy prince of the realm & various wealthy business people as well as a journalist & a singer. On arrival, Olga announces that she has a vision of making the world a better place & she expects everyone there to agree to her plans, implying they will regret saying no.
The staff are sent away. The island is locked down. Olga is found dead next morning.
Fast paced & with intrigue aplenty, this book certainly keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is. Greenwashing is touched upon, but it is the secrets of all concerned that cause the twists & turns in the plot. Who are these people in reality? Not one of them is particularly likeable, but the unrelenting search for truth by Thea has to be admired. An entertaining & enjoyable read.
April 19, 2026
The Pledge by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett is a gripping, locked-room-style thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed.
KC Thea Harrington has just secured a major legal victory, but instead of celebrating at home, she receives a mysterious invitation to travel by private jet to a remote Caribbean island. The island belongs to Olga Helgesdotter, a powerful billionaire gathering influential figures to take “The Pledge” — a commitment to tackling climate change.
Things take an unexpected turn when Thea discovers her husband Charles is also there. Their relationship is far from perfect, built more on mutual interests than love, which adds an extra layer of tension to the story.
Then, on the very first night, Olga is murdered.
From that moment on, the stakes skyrocket. With no way to leave the island, no communication with the outside world, and suspicion falling on everyone present, the tension builds brilliantly. It feels like someone is systematically targeting the guests, and the sense of isolation makes it even more intense.
I loved the pacing and the twists — it kept me guessing throughout. The “locked room” element works really well, and the mix of power, secrets, and hidden motives makes for a compelling read.
A smart, atmospheric thriller — I’d definitely read more from this author.
KC Thea Harrington has just secured a major legal victory, but instead of celebrating at home, she receives a mysterious invitation to travel by private jet to a remote Caribbean island. The island belongs to Olga Helgesdotter, a powerful billionaire gathering influential figures to take “The Pledge” — a commitment to tackling climate change.
Things take an unexpected turn when Thea discovers her husband Charles is also there. Their relationship is far from perfect, built more on mutual interests than love, which adds an extra layer of tension to the story.
Then, on the very first night, Olga is murdered.
From that moment on, the stakes skyrocket. With no way to leave the island, no communication with the outside world, and suspicion falling on everyone present, the tension builds brilliantly. It feels like someone is systematically targeting the guests, and the sense of isolation makes it even more intense.
I loved the pacing and the twists — it kept me guessing throughout. The “locked room” element works really well, and the mix of power, secrets, and hidden motives makes for a compelling read.
A smart, atmospheric thriller — I’d definitely read more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Several insufferable rich people are summoned to the private Caribbean island of another rich woman Olga. They all arrive only to be met almost immediatelywith a demand from Olga that they pledge their money to fight climate change. Then very quickly Olga is found dead and none of the visitors to the island can be sure who the culprit is.
DNF at 50%.
I don’t think this is a bad book. It just wasn’t a good match for me. I was sucked in by the Caribbean location and I should have realized based on the synopsis I would struggle with this one. The issue for me is that I need to recognize that I do not like a closed door mystery. They introduce too many characters at once and then they drag for me because essentially everyone is an hostage. I also hate hostage books. .And after an interesting start to this book I just could not muster up the interest in picking it up. I didn’t like the characters, I had a hard time keeping some of them straight and ultimately I just didn’t care what happened to any of them.
Several insufferable rich people are summoned to the private Caribbean island of another rich woman Olga. They all arrive only to be met almost immediatelywith a demand from Olga that they pledge their money to fight climate change. Then very quickly Olga is found dead and none of the visitors to the island can be sure who the culprit is.
DNF at 50%.
I don’t think this is a bad book. It just wasn’t a good match for me. I was sucked in by the Caribbean location and I should have realized based on the synopsis I would struggle with this one. The issue for me is that I need to recognize that I do not like a closed door mystery. They introduce too many characters at once and then they drag for me because essentially everyone is an hostage. I also hate hostage books. .And after an interesting start to this book I just could not muster up the interest in picking it up. I didn’t like the characters, I had a hard time keeping some of them straight and ultimately I just didn’t care what happened to any of them.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really wanted to love The Pledge, and there’s a lot here that did work for me.
The premise is so strong. A remote island, a group of ultra wealthy guests, and a high stakes “pledge” tied to climate change…it pulled me in straight away. I flew through the start. It has that glossy, slightly escapist thriller feel, but with something darker running underneath.
There’s also an interesting power play at the centre, and I liked the focus on the ultra rich and the uncomfortable reality of the damage they cause. Some of the more “technical” environmental side felt a bit much.
But I did struggle with the characters. They’re all varying degrees of unpleasant, which I know is the point, but it meant I didn’t really have anyone to root for. After a while I felt a bit detached from it.
It also felt quite suffocating, almost like a locked room thriller with no real sense of relief. The middle dragged for me, and it seemed to lose its direction a bit.
That said, it’s dark, tense, and I can see it really working for readers who like their thrillers atmospheric and a bit claustrophobic.
Just not quite a standout for me
The premise is so strong. A remote island, a group of ultra wealthy guests, and a high stakes “pledge” tied to climate change…it pulled me in straight away. I flew through the start. It has that glossy, slightly escapist thriller feel, but with something darker running underneath.
There’s also an interesting power play at the centre, and I liked the focus on the ultra rich and the uncomfortable reality of the damage they cause. Some of the more “technical” environmental side felt a bit much.
But I did struggle with the characters. They’re all varying degrees of unpleasant, which I know is the point, but it meant I didn’t really have anyone to root for. After a while I felt a bit detached from it.
It also felt quite suffocating, almost like a locked room thriller with no real sense of relief. The middle dragged for me, and it seemed to lose its direction a bit.
That said, it’s dark, tense, and I can see it really working for readers who like their thrillers atmospheric and a bit claustrophobic.
Just not quite a standout for me
April 30, 2026
I devour locked room mystery reads and The Pledge by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett ticked all my boxes on a great read.
The pledge follows a group of powerful and rich people going to a private remote island after being invited to sign a global deal but one character in particular stands out - Thea KC, a barrister that has just won a big case but why is she on the island especially with very powerful people and will she regret it.
There are some characters that are very unlikeable and have you thinking if they have some motives that they are hiding and what some will do the keep those. At times i honestly didn't even know what was going on and kept reading to get through the suspense and tense moments. Before long characters start getting picked off one by one and accusations fall between everyone and you don't even know who to trust. A great read that keeps you engaged and wanting to read right to the very end with a mystery and suspense feel to the reading process.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.
The pledge follows a group of powerful and rich people going to a private remote island after being invited to sign a global deal but one character in particular stands out - Thea KC, a barrister that has just won a big case but why is she on the island especially with very powerful people and will she regret it.
There are some characters that are very unlikeable and have you thinking if they have some motives that they are hiding and what some will do the keep those. At times i honestly didn't even know what was going on and kept reading to get through the suspense and tense moments. Before long characters start getting picked off one by one and accusations fall between everyone and you don't even know who to trust. A great read that keeps you engaged and wanting to read right to the very end with a mystery and suspense feel to the reading process.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.
February 17, 2026
Although I read this through netgalley, I have also read the majority of the authors series of books on my own so was quite pleased when I was offered this to read. That may have been my downfall because this is an entirely different story and not the same!
It's the story of Thea, a barrister who at the start of the book, isn't actually very likeable. She and a group of selected elite are chosen to go to this island by another incredibly rich person and then murders ensue!
It's essentially a locked room mystery with a lot of whole unlikable people (hence the 4 stars). But character development for Thea is great. I knocked off a star because I got a bit lost with who the women were. They didn't really have very distinct personalities with the exception of olga and later Asha.
It's a good story though and fun to read if you want something fairly easy and engaging to read! Would definitely recommend and will continue to look out for books by the author.
It's the story of Thea, a barrister who at the start of the book, isn't actually very likeable. She and a group of selected elite are chosen to go to this island by another incredibly rich person and then murders ensue!
It's essentially a locked room mystery with a lot of whole unlikable people (hence the 4 stars). But character development for Thea is great. I knocked off a star because I got a bit lost with who the women were. They didn't really have very distinct personalities with the exception of olga and later Asha.
It's a good story though and fun to read if you want something fairly easy and engaging to read! Would definitely recommend and will continue to look out for books by the author.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An all expenses spared trip to paradise island yet not one of the elite guests thought to question this, was it greed that made them accept the invitation or something more sinister...
You need to read this nail biting thriller to find out. The plot is fairly unique which I loved as a lot of thrillers I've read recently kinda follow the same kinda narrative.
The twists & turns in this come thick & fast, I was here for it. Especially as I was gripped to my seat never knowing what was going to happen next.
Thea was a superb protagonist, her sharp mindset & out of the box thinking made reading through her eyes a great read. She may not have been one of the top 5 richest in money but she makes up for that with her knowledge & ability to turn the odd blind eye.
If you enjoy destination thrillers or psychological thrillers then this is definitely worth a read.
Thank you to the author & zaffre books for a copy of the book.
You need to read this nail biting thriller to find out. The plot is fairly unique which I loved as a lot of thrillers I've read recently kinda follow the same kinda narrative.
The twists & turns in this come thick & fast, I was here for it. Especially as I was gripped to my seat never knowing what was going to happen next.
Thea was a superb protagonist, her sharp mindset & out of the box thinking made reading through her eyes a great read. She may not have been one of the top 5 richest in money but she makes up for that with her knowledge & ability to turn the odd blind eye.
If you enjoy destination thrillers or psychological thrillers then this is definitely worth a read.
Thank you to the author & zaffre books for a copy of the book.
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