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Safari Murder Party
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26In this darkly funny, slightly unhinged, heart-pounding thriller, two office rivals must team up to escape wild animals and even wilder coworkers on a corporate retreat gone wrong.
Fletcher Spence is dying for a promotion. And her colleagues are more than happy to oblige.
After three years working seventy-hour weeks as assistant to the most terrifying CEO in the magazine world, Fletcher finally finagled a spot on Cartwright Media’s annual corporate retreat—a famously luxurious week on the Cartwrights’ private island, where promotions are handed out like party favors. And her plan to snag her dream job as a travel magazine photographer was going great...until her boss’s dramatic death reveals his last will and testament: Whoever survives the week will inherit the company.
So now she’s stuck on her billionaire boss’s safari park island, surrounded by wild animals and on the run from coworkers who’ve swapped coffee cups for machetes and briefcases for hunting rifles.
To Fletcher’s dismay, her only ally might be her boss’s insufferably gorgeous son, Waylon Cartwright. Despite their hostile history, Fletcher is at least 80 percent sure he won’t try to kill her this week. Plus, his experience on the island might come in handy while they fend off lions and tigers and...marketing executives? Oh my.
While Fletcher battles her own ambitions and her unexpected attraction to Waylon, her power-hungry, bloodthirsty colleagues will do anything to stop them from escaping with their lives. Everyone knows the media industry is cutthroat, but in this safari party, it’s never been more true.
Fletcher Spence is dying for a promotion. And her colleagues are more than happy to oblige.
After three years working seventy-hour weeks as assistant to the most terrifying CEO in the magazine world, Fletcher finally finagled a spot on Cartwright Media’s annual corporate retreat—a famously luxurious week on the Cartwrights’ private island, where promotions are handed out like party favors. And her plan to snag her dream job as a travel magazine photographer was going great...until her boss’s dramatic death reveals his last will and testament: Whoever survives the week will inherit the company.
So now she’s stuck on her billionaire boss’s safari park island, surrounded by wild animals and on the run from coworkers who’ve swapped coffee cups for machetes and briefcases for hunting rifles.
To Fletcher’s dismay, her only ally might be her boss’s insufferably gorgeous son, Waylon Cartwright. Despite their hostile history, Fletcher is at least 80 percent sure he won’t try to kill her this week. Plus, his experience on the island might come in handy while they fend off lions and tigers and...marketing executives? Oh my.
While Fletcher battles her own ambitions and her unexpected attraction to Waylon, her power-hungry, bloodthirsty colleagues will do anything to stop them from escaping with their lives. Everyone knows the media industry is cutthroat, but in this safari party, it’s never been more true.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 19, 2026
2 people are currently reading
5910 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Moore
3 books534 followersRachel Moore is the author of high-stakes, genre-blending novels. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and two cats she’s violently allergic to. (The cats, not the husband.) On the rare occasion she isn’t writing happy endings, you can find her collecting dictionaries, drinking entirely too much coffee, and drifting through the library stacks.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
remind-me-once-out
September 3, 2024"...author's adult debut, pitched as THE LOST CITY meets THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME..."
why 2026 😭
why 2026 😭
October 12, 2025
• My Reading Experience: So Fun!!!
• Book Spice: Level 1 (one chapter)
• Adjusted Rating: 4.5 stars!!!
• POV: 3rd Person / Single
• Content Thoughts:
First off, don’t let anyone tell you that begging for an ARC doesn’t work 😂
Thank you so much, Berkley! This is my first approved ARC from you all, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Now, onto the book. Rachel is such a fantastic author. I love the plots she creates and how she tells her stories in a way that’s both intriguing and genuinely funny. Who would’ve thought a murder party could make you laugh this much? 😂
This book felt like a love letter to the cutthroat, kill-or-be-killed world of corporate America. As a 9-to-5er myself, I related to so many of the FMC’s thoughts and frustrations. But wow, this story was wiiiiiiiiiiild in all the best ways.
Reading it gave me the same chaotic, hilarious energy as The Lovebirds and Glass Onion—not because of the plot itself, but because of that perfect blend of serious stakes and peak comedy.
I enjoyed every moment of this book, and one thing I know for sure is that anything with Rachel Moore’s name on the cover, I’ll be reading every single time 🙂↕️
Again, thank you Berkley Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
🧚 Disclaimer: My reviews and ratings are always true and honest and reflect MY experience while reading the book. YOU may have the same or a totally different experience. 🧚
• Book Spice: Level 1 (one chapter)
• Adjusted Rating: 4.5 stars!!!
• POV: 3rd Person / Single
• Content Thoughts:
First off, don’t let anyone tell you that begging for an ARC doesn’t work 😂
Thank you so much, Berkley! This is my first approved ARC from you all, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Now, onto the book. Rachel is such a fantastic author. I love the plots she creates and how she tells her stories in a way that’s both intriguing and genuinely funny. Who would’ve thought a murder party could make you laugh this much? 😂
This book felt like a love letter to the cutthroat, kill-or-be-killed world of corporate America. As a 9-to-5er myself, I related to so many of the FMC’s thoughts and frustrations. But wow, this story was wiiiiiiiiiiild in all the best ways.
Reading it gave me the same chaotic, hilarious energy as The Lovebirds and Glass Onion—not because of the plot itself, but because of that perfect blend of serious stakes and peak comedy.
I enjoyed every moment of this book, and one thing I know for sure is that anything with Rachel Moore’s name on the cover, I’ll be reading every single time 🙂↕️
Again, thank you Berkley Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
🧚 Disclaimer: My reviews and ratings are always true and honest and reflect MY experience while reading the book. YOU may have the same or a totally different experience. 🧚
November 14, 2025
What if your office brownnosers were actually willing to kill to get ahead?
If you've ever worked in a corporate environment, you should enjoy this. The author takes office politics to a whole new level with an absolute kill-fest.
Expect toxic personalities, a bit of gruesomeness and a wholesome main character who realizes that she actually has a backbone when things get tough.
There's a little spicy romance, a couple of adorable wild animals (want!) and some legitimately funny situations.
Today, I'm back in the office wondering how I can get out of going to my next corporate function. You see Michele, is fine...but Michelle (2 L's)? I think she'd feed me to the lions.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
* ARC via Publisher
If you've ever worked in a corporate environment, you should enjoy this. The author takes office politics to a whole new level with an absolute kill-fest.
Expect toxic personalities, a bit of gruesomeness and a wholesome main character who realizes that she actually has a backbone when things get tough.
There's a little spicy romance, a couple of adorable wild animals (want!) and some legitimately funny situations.
Today, I'm back in the office wondering how I can get out of going to my next corporate function. You see Michele, is fine...but Michelle (2 L's)? I think she'd feed me to the lions.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
* ARC via Publisher
October 27, 2025
This book reminds me of glass onion - camp, a bit silly, but also such a fun time. I loved Richard Connelly’s The Dangerous Game when I read it in high school, so the advertising of this was right up my alley.
While stylistically this is quite different from classic literature, it’s a solid book writing wise, although a bit slow at the start. The actual premise is very similar, but has some stylistic elements of a romcom and who-dunnit that make for a really compelling read.
Fletcher and Waylon are really solid characters, and while their hatred maybe seemed a bit contrived in places, their romance felt very fitting and managed to not feel out of place.
Given how “wild” the premise of this was, Moore handled the various moments of conflict and high tension extremely well without breaking the overall tone of the book. It has thrilling scenes without feeling like a thriller.
From what I’ve heard about in terms of the Inheritance games, I think this book would be something fans of those would really like - and if you haven’t read those (like me) but you have watched the Knives Out movies, I can say for sure that you’ll love this.
There’s one scene that would push this toward adult audiences in age just as an fyi, but if you’re someone who prefers to avoid spice, it’s definitely something you can skip without issue in this one and still have a great read. And if you don’t mind spice or even want it in your books, it’s well written and fits the story well.
Would definitely recommend and can’t wait to add to my shelves once this comes out!
Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
While stylistically this is quite different from classic literature, it’s a solid book writing wise, although a bit slow at the start. The actual premise is very similar, but has some stylistic elements of a romcom and who-dunnit that make for a really compelling read.
Fletcher and Waylon are really solid characters, and while their hatred maybe seemed a bit contrived in places, their romance felt very fitting and managed to not feel out of place.
Given how “wild” the premise of this was, Moore handled the various moments of conflict and high tension extremely well without breaking the overall tone of the book. It has thrilling scenes without feeling like a thriller.
From what I’ve heard about in terms of the Inheritance games, I think this book would be something fans of those would really like - and if you haven’t read those (like me) but you have watched the Knives Out movies, I can say for sure that you’ll love this.
There’s one scene that would push this toward adult audiences in age just as an fyi, but if you’re someone who prefers to avoid spice, it’s definitely something you can skip without issue in this one and still have a great read. And if you don’t mind spice or even want it in your books, it’s well written and fits the story well.
Would definitely recommend and can’t wait to add to my shelves once this comes out!
Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 10, 2025
4.25 stars. What an interesting concept! SAFARI MURDER PARTY started fast, and never let go.
An aspiring photographer and executive assistant to the billionaire CEO of a media empire, Fletcher Spence wrangles an invite to join a company retreat on Lydell Island, a private island full of wild animals. When the boss dies and his will indicates the “last man standing” will inherit the company, she ends up fighting for her life against both the animals and her coworkers along with her nemesis (aka, the boss’s son), Waylon.
The pacing was fast, the writing was compelling, and I loved Fletcher’s character. There was a bit of enemies-to-lovers in this one, but it wasn’t terrible. The ending was also surprisingly clever.
🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟
An aspiring photographer and executive assistant to the billionaire CEO of a media empire, Fletcher Spence wrangles an invite to join a company retreat on Lydell Island, a private island full of wild animals. When the boss dies and his will indicates the “last man standing” will inherit the company, she ends up fighting for her life against both the animals and her coworkers along with her nemesis (aka, the boss’s son), Waylon.
The pacing was fast, the writing was compelling, and I loved Fletcher’s character. There was a bit of enemies-to-lovers in this one, but it wasn’t terrible. The ending was also surprisingly clever.
🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟
October 27, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC. A funny, fast paced, romantic, last-person-standing inheritance race on a tropical island filled with exotic wildlife? What?! This book would make a fun movie or mini series. Knives Out with the last-man-standing twist. Couldn’t put it down!
October 12, 2025
Real Rating: 4.5
What a WILD ride, literally! I mean, you see the title and you think it's going to be a doozy, and it absolutely delivers. This was my third Moore book and she is easily becoming a favorite of mine. This being her debut adult novel was perfection. Talk about a cut-throat business world out there, amirite? The animals are definitely not always the scariest thing that exists in the wild.. and don't even get me started on the man that Waylon is.
What a WILD ride, literally! I mean, you see the title and you think it's going to be a doozy, and it absolutely delivers. This was my third Moore book and she is easily becoming a favorite of mine. This being her debut adult novel was perfection. Talk about a cut-throat business world out there, amirite? The animals are definitely not always the scariest thing that exists in the wild.. and don't even get me started on the man that Waylon is.
December 5, 2025
***Thank you NetGalley for an eArc in exchange for an honest review!
2.5 stars— entertaining but not for me
Pop culture/brand name drops
- Slack x2
- InDesign
- Lightroom
- Sweetgreen
- Neutrogena
- Oribe
- Reddit x2
- Instagram
- Plato’s Closet
- Monday Night Football
- Foghorn Leghorn
- Taylor Swift
- Consigned denim
- Zyrtec
- Cheetos
- Lululemon
- Uber
- Friends
- Condé Nast
- Butterball turkey
- Nordstrom Rack
- Boy math (but it’s actually Monte Carlo simulations)
- Edible Arrangements
- Being a girl’s girl
- Reeboks
- Evian
- Barbie
- Wicked
- Ratatouille
- Hunger Games
- Zoo Tycoon
- Doritos
- Jeggings
- Ariana grande
- Taskrabbit
- Batman
- Jumanji
- Steve Irwin
- Tesla Cybertrucks
- Prada
- The Lion King
- Peloton
- Baywatch
- Zoolander 2
- Chuck Norris
- “Yes Chef”
- Usain Bolt
- MTV Cribs
- Louboutins
- Weekend at Bernie’s
- Titanic
- “Deserved jail time”
- “Turning off the Big Light”
- “grabby hands”
Live notes (5% —)
- rude hometown boyfriend shackling her down ✅
- NGL he is making valid points…she’s working for pennies, doesn’t call home, refuses to discuss getting married to BF she’s been dating since they were 16…let him go girl
- In-depth discussion of NY housing market✅
- Partier gay best friend ✅
- damn breaking up w the bf is brutal already
- “The olives’ freaky little belly buttons” 😭?
- Evil ass boss destroying her camera on the tarmac bc he’s so mysterious and rich✅
- “Shania Twain’s voice punctuated her thoughts with a swift ‘let’s go girls’” SPAREEEE MEEEE
- Sales VP described as having “eyes that glimmered with greed”✅
- Paragraphs upon paragraphs about the corporate org chart…..IDC abt them
- MMC calling her a receptionist rather than executive assistant….i know what you are (misogyny)
- Equally evil CFO/CTOs mocking Fletcher for being poor✅
- Bro’s name is WAYLON and all he does is smirk and kick his feet up and be more smirky in doorways while said CFO/CTO call her a charity case
- God Fletcher is so WHINYYYYYY stomping and going UGH in her head when Waylon (easily) manages to one-up her banter
- “That was on her for being a Type 9 Ennegram” girl GROW A SPINE
- How much stomping, truly, can one girl do?
- FMC being a bitch to the intern✅
- “His dickwaddedness spurred her back into motion” just please, for the love of God, use normal curse words
- Of course evil rude marketing man is so evil because he’s fat— he couldn’t possibly be skinny or toned or ANYTHING other than described as having an “obtrusive stomach” and be evil
- So the CEO, rather than treating his cancer, decides to gather the 13 best people at the company, jet out to his private island, let the lions kill him in his sleep because he loves the wild❤️, and just locks them on the open safari for 5 days? And whoever survives this SUPER DANGEROUS and TOUGH and ALL-TESTING-OF-HUMANITY game will inherit the entire goddamn company? I’m actually ctfu😭
- Fletcher is surprisingly chill for watching two people die in front of her
- Make that 3
- “I need to have a FAKE alliance with the HOT SNARKY CEO SON while LIONS roam the BACKYARD trying to KILL US so I can FULFILL my DEAL WITH THE GIRLBOSS EIC and I CANT tell him she KILLED his FRIEND”
- Describing Waylon as The “surly fuck boy action figure” is good ngl
- The FMC is walking around wearing a helmet the whole time…I’m dead😭
- we are halfway thru and we have not set foot in the safari
- Somehow this reads like a mf disney movie
- Omfg Fletcher getting angry at Waylon like this is his fault is literally making her get on my last nerves
- I read the words “Zoo Tycoon” experience and I don’t know if I can handle this anymore☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
- “Like a porcupine wearing jeggings” i don’t think these words ever been strung together before
- Glad we have time to get almost tantalizingly freaky in the safari while people die back at the house
- Fletcher…pushing Waylon into the champagne tower and causing his father to disown him at your first meeting….dont make me side with a man
- Don’t worry, the CFO somehow rode an ostrich like a horse, wielding a suitcase like a jousting weapon, and also made zippy remarks about hating the CTO’s wife because she was having an affair with him
- “Here, the grass was shorter, like the earth had alopecia” again, I don’t think these words had been strung together before
- Glad, again, we can get freaky during a forest rain storm
- And of course, rather than packing essentials in our limited space in our survival backpack, we manage to grab some condoms
- Like I get that they’re on a murderous retreat and that everyone’s dying around them and she’s lying to Waylon about their alliance….but the stakes feel lackluster. Like I know she’ll make it out alive, and what’s changed? She has a sense of work-life boundaries and this insta-lust with Waylon? All she needed to do was grow a spine and I think that could have been achieved without a murderous safari retreat
- Also the safari is not integral to the plot, it’s just extraneous decor. The retreat could have been in the Cobo center and it would serve the same function (F = grow a pair)
- Also, would it have been that hard, truly, to tell Waylon right away and have both of you be double agents? I think her OG stance of “hey, I had to say something to get a bloodthirsty woman off my back from shooting me dead *before we were friends* and I’m so sorry for putting you up but I was doing it as a farce because I think we can work together”. Like it’s pretty obvious he wouldn’t kill you/be mad but see reason (or not really, actually, seeing how he just let half the C-Suite call her a charity case and a poor bitch at dinner and such)
- Jackie is a pretty vague “big bad” for what it’s worth— she just shows up, sticks a gun to Fletcher’s head, threatens her, and retreats into thin air, presumably going insane in the jungle
- Tied to the dock posts as sharks circle them and all bro wants to do is Mack on her….right
- I bet the ending line is going to be her telling Ford “some vacation” or something to that effect
- BITCH I KNOW YOU DID NOT JUST DROP A “I THINK IM FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU”
- Somehow the final confrontation was both 50 minutes long and also underwhelming - I never felt like the stakes were intense
- The Melv twist was good I didn’t see that coming
- Just….a fever dream of an ending. $50M dollars and I wouldn’t have guessed it. Entertaining, yes. Slightly jipped out of a true resolution with the whole “rescue boat arrives in time! Yay!” Thing? Also yes
- I got work life boundaries and fell in love with a manchild all because of a murderous safari retreat from hell❤️ yay❤️ now I’m a photographer❤️
- “He greeted her with grabby hands” please spare me
- $20 this has already been optioned for a movie
- Ending & acknowledgements were cute ICL
- Fletcher honey I hope you find a great therapist
2.5 stars— entertaining but not for me
Pop culture/brand name drops
- Slack x2
- InDesign
- Lightroom
- Sweetgreen
- Neutrogena
- Oribe
- Reddit x2
- Plato’s Closet
- Monday Night Football
- Foghorn Leghorn
- Taylor Swift
- Consigned denim
- Zyrtec
- Cheetos
- Lululemon
- Uber
- Friends
- Condé Nast
- Butterball turkey
- Nordstrom Rack
- Boy math (but it’s actually Monte Carlo simulations)
- Edible Arrangements
- Being a girl’s girl
- Reeboks
- Evian
- Barbie
- Wicked
- Ratatouille
- Hunger Games
- Zoo Tycoon
- Doritos
- Jeggings
- Ariana grande
- Taskrabbit
- Batman
- Jumanji
- Steve Irwin
- Tesla Cybertrucks
- Prada
- The Lion King
- Peloton
- Baywatch
- Zoolander 2
- Chuck Norris
- “Yes Chef”
- Usain Bolt
- MTV Cribs
- Louboutins
- Weekend at Bernie’s
- Titanic
- “Deserved jail time”
- “Turning off the Big Light”
- “grabby hands”
Live notes (5% —)
- rude hometown boyfriend shackling her down ✅
- NGL he is making valid points…she’s working for pennies, doesn’t call home, refuses to discuss getting married to BF she’s been dating since they were 16…let him go girl
- In-depth discussion of NY housing market✅
- Partier gay best friend ✅
- damn breaking up w the bf is brutal already
- “The olives’ freaky little belly buttons” 😭?
- Evil ass boss destroying her camera on the tarmac bc he’s so mysterious and rich✅
- “Shania Twain’s voice punctuated her thoughts with a swift ‘let’s go girls’” SPAREEEE MEEEE
- Sales VP described as having “eyes that glimmered with greed”✅
- Paragraphs upon paragraphs about the corporate org chart…..IDC abt them
- MMC calling her a receptionist rather than executive assistant….i know what you are (misogyny)
- Equally evil CFO/CTOs mocking Fletcher for being poor✅
- Bro’s name is WAYLON and all he does is smirk and kick his feet up and be more smirky in doorways while said CFO/CTO call her a charity case
- God Fletcher is so WHINYYYYYY stomping and going UGH in her head when Waylon (easily) manages to one-up her banter
- “That was on her for being a Type 9 Ennegram” girl GROW A SPINE
- How much stomping, truly, can one girl do?
- FMC being a bitch to the intern✅
- “His dickwaddedness spurred her back into motion” just please, for the love of God, use normal curse words
- Of course evil rude marketing man is so evil because he’s fat— he couldn’t possibly be skinny or toned or ANYTHING other than described as having an “obtrusive stomach” and be evil
- So the CEO, rather than treating his cancer, decides to gather the 13 best people at the company, jet out to his private island, let the lions kill him in his sleep because he loves the wild❤️, and just locks them on the open safari for 5 days? And whoever survives this SUPER DANGEROUS and TOUGH and ALL-TESTING-OF-HUMANITY game will inherit the entire goddamn company? I’m actually ctfu😭
- Fletcher is surprisingly chill for watching two people die in front of her
- Make that 3
- “I need to have a FAKE alliance with the HOT SNARKY CEO SON while LIONS roam the BACKYARD trying to KILL US so I can FULFILL my DEAL WITH THE GIRLBOSS EIC and I CANT tell him she KILLED his FRIEND”
- Describing Waylon as The “surly fuck boy action figure” is good ngl
- The FMC is walking around wearing a helmet the whole time…I’m dead😭
- we are halfway thru and we have not set foot in the safari
- Somehow this reads like a mf disney movie
- Omfg Fletcher getting angry at Waylon like this is his fault is literally making her get on my last nerves
- I read the words “Zoo Tycoon” experience and I don’t know if I can handle this anymore☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
- “Like a porcupine wearing jeggings” i don’t think these words ever been strung together before
- Glad we have time to get almost tantalizingly freaky in the safari while people die back at the house
- Fletcher…pushing Waylon into the champagne tower and causing his father to disown him at your first meeting….dont make me side with a man
- Don’t worry, the CFO somehow rode an ostrich like a horse, wielding a suitcase like a jousting weapon, and also made zippy remarks about hating the CTO’s wife because she was having an affair with him
- “Here, the grass was shorter, like the earth had alopecia” again, I don’t think these words had been strung together before
- Glad, again, we can get freaky during a forest rain storm
- And of course, rather than packing essentials in our limited space in our survival backpack, we manage to grab some condoms
- Like I get that they’re on a murderous retreat and that everyone’s dying around them and she’s lying to Waylon about their alliance….but the stakes feel lackluster. Like I know she’ll make it out alive, and what’s changed? She has a sense of work-life boundaries and this insta-lust with Waylon? All she needed to do was grow a spine and I think that could have been achieved without a murderous safari retreat
- Also the safari is not integral to the plot, it’s just extraneous decor. The retreat could have been in the Cobo center and it would serve the same function (F = grow a pair)
- Also, would it have been that hard, truly, to tell Waylon right away and have both of you be double agents? I think her OG stance of “hey, I had to say something to get a bloodthirsty woman off my back from shooting me dead *before we were friends* and I’m so sorry for putting you up but I was doing it as a farce because I think we can work together”. Like it’s pretty obvious he wouldn’t kill you/be mad but see reason (or not really, actually, seeing how he just let half the C-Suite call her a charity case and a poor bitch at dinner and such)
- Jackie is a pretty vague “big bad” for what it’s worth— she just shows up, sticks a gun to Fletcher’s head, threatens her, and retreats into thin air, presumably going insane in the jungle
- Tied to the dock posts as sharks circle them and all bro wants to do is Mack on her….right
- I bet the ending line is going to be her telling Ford “some vacation” or something to that effect
- BITCH I KNOW YOU DID NOT JUST DROP A “I THINK IM FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU”
- Somehow the final confrontation was both 50 minutes long and also underwhelming - I never felt like the stakes were intense
- The Melv twist was good I didn’t see that coming
- Just….a fever dream of an ending. $50M dollars and I wouldn’t have guessed it. Entertaining, yes. Slightly jipped out of a true resolution with the whole “rescue boat arrives in time! Yay!” Thing? Also yes
- I got work life boundaries and fell in love with a manchild all because of a murderous safari retreat from hell❤️ yay❤️ now I’m a photographer❤️
- “He greeted her with grabby hands” please spare me
- $20 this has already been optioned for a movie
- Ending & acknowledgements were cute ICL
- Fletcher honey I hope you find a great therapist
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨Book Review✨
📚 This book was a toss up for me, the premise was fascinating, but at times it felt very wordy - like the authors was trying to get as many quips and one liners in as possible. It felt like it drifted between third person limited and third person omniscient which made a handful of scenes feel confusing. I had to go back and reread a few paragraphs to see where I missed a transition or development. I thought aspects of this were really strong including an unforeseen twist at the end regarding who the ultimate bad guy is. However a good amount of the characters met their untimely end in a way that felt akin to Final Destination, which tracks because there were a LOT of characters that needed to be unalived in just 350 pages. The execution of melding thrill with romance was not seamless and left me wanting both more and less.
🌟 Overall it was an interesting read, but I am not sure I would recommend putting it to the top of you TBR. It’s giving Knives Out mixed with Final Destination - so if semi cringy is your vibe then give it a try. Maybe this is a hot take… I’d love to hear a different perspective!
Thank you to @NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
More about: Safari Murder Party - Rachel Moore
📖 Fletcher Spence has been busting her tail for three years as the executive assistant to the owner of Cartwright media. She’s hoping the company retreat to a private island will end in her receiving the promotion to the photography department that she’s been dreaming of - but when her name isn’t on the invite list she takes a chance, showing up on the tarmac packed and ready to join the group. When her boss allows her to come she thinks she has a shot at that promotion; little does she know that there’s much more at stake with this trip - including her heart, since Waylon Cartwright is joining the group. She has barely seen Waylon since their less than ideal meet-cute in the coat closet at a company event years ago. And now they’re going to be stuck on the same remote island for two weeks together. When things start to go sideways on the island she’ll have to decide who to trust with her heart and her life.
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|| Mystery, Thriller, Romance, TBR ||
Stars: 2
📚 This book was a toss up for me, the premise was fascinating, but at times it felt very wordy - like the authors was trying to get as many quips and one liners in as possible. It felt like it drifted between third person limited and third person omniscient which made a handful of scenes feel confusing. I had to go back and reread a few paragraphs to see where I missed a transition or development. I thought aspects of this were really strong including an unforeseen twist at the end regarding who the ultimate bad guy is. However a good amount of the characters met their untimely end in a way that felt akin to Final Destination, which tracks because there were a LOT of characters that needed to be unalived in just 350 pages. The execution of melding thrill with romance was not seamless and left me wanting both more and less.
🌟 Overall it was an interesting read, but I am not sure I would recommend putting it to the top of you TBR. It’s giving Knives Out mixed with Final Destination - so if semi cringy is your vibe then give it a try. Maybe this is a hot take… I’d love to hear a different perspective!
Thank you to @NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
More about: Safari Murder Party - Rachel Moore
📖 Fletcher Spence has been busting her tail for three years as the executive assistant to the owner of Cartwright media. She’s hoping the company retreat to a private island will end in her receiving the promotion to the photography department that she’s been dreaming of - but when her name isn’t on the invite list she takes a chance, showing up on the tarmac packed and ready to join the group. When her boss allows her to come she thinks she has a shot at that promotion; little does she know that there’s much more at stake with this trip - including her heart, since Waylon Cartwright is joining the group. She has barely seen Waylon since their less than ideal meet-cute in the coat closet at a company event years ago. And now they’re going to be stuck on the same remote island for two weeks together. When things start to go sideways on the island she’ll have to decide who to trust with her heart and her life.
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#SafariMurderParty #ARC #NetGalley #Contemporary #Fiction
|| Mystery, Thriller, Romance, TBR ||
Stars: 2
October 18, 2025
𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘪 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 is a satirical adult debut, completely outrageous but thrilling and entertaining with a sprinkle of romance!
Fletcher is a devoted CEO assistant - she's never taken a sick day, is resourceful, and has impeccable attention to detail. She's ready for a promotion to support a more lovable NYC lifestyle, and she makes sure she's at the annual retreat to be awarded one. The problem? The retreat was orhestrated suicide for her boss and a deranged bloodbath for the remaining colleagues to fight to inherit the billion dollar company. She finds herself partnering with her nemesis, and the CEO's son, Waylon, to survive her now animalistic colleague's threats.
The premise is absolutely wild, and the book delivers on the rollercoaster ride! I enjoyed the dark and humorous voice that conveys a balanced tale that's equal parts twisted and silly. The romcom doesn't take itself too seriously, and I liked that.
It felt almost too long for what it was, and I wasn't wholely convinced of Waylon and Fletcher's romance. It seemed Waylon had been harboring feelings for some time, but given their initial meeting and lack of interaction since, I had a difficult time buying it as anything deeper than lust.
𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘪 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 feels fresh and exciting, and I'd recommend it for readers looking for something a little different and unexpected.
I read Rachel's young adult novels, and they definitely feel very different from this story! However, I still think fans of her prior books will also enjoy this.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
Fletcher is a devoted CEO assistant - she's never taken a sick day, is resourceful, and has impeccable attention to detail. She's ready for a promotion to support a more lovable NYC lifestyle, and she makes sure she's at the annual retreat to be awarded one. The problem? The retreat was orhestrated suicide for her boss and a deranged bloodbath for the remaining colleagues to fight to inherit the billion dollar company. She finds herself partnering with her nemesis, and the CEO's son, Waylon, to survive her now animalistic colleague's threats.
The premise is absolutely wild, and the book delivers on the rollercoaster ride! I enjoyed the dark and humorous voice that conveys a balanced tale that's equal parts twisted and silly. The romcom doesn't take itself too seriously, and I liked that.
It felt almost too long for what it was, and I wasn't wholely convinced of Waylon and Fletcher's romance. It seemed Waylon had been harboring feelings for some time, but given their initial meeting and lack of interaction since, I had a difficult time buying it as anything deeper than lust.
𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘪 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 feels fresh and exciting, and I'd recommend it for readers looking for something a little different and unexpected.
I read Rachel's young adult novels, and they definitely feel very different from this story! However, I still think fans of her prior books will also enjoy this.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
October 29, 2025
I chose this book based on a recommendation from a friend who loves the author and wanted to read this book as well. And....well, I am a new fan of Rachel Moore's witty, sometimes sarcastic but always fun writing style! The story telling is beautifully done. The characters are so well developed and relatable that the story just flows easily. The banter between Waylon and Fletcher (FMC) was spot on and I often found myself laughing.
Imagine, working your life away as the personal assistant of a rich, eccentric Billionaire CEO of the company you've always dreamed of working for. However, despite, long nights and even longer days you never quite seem to make the cut. This is where Fletcher Spence finds herself. She spends her lunch breaks on the floor of the department she really wants to work for pouring over articles with her friend only to rush back to the CEO's office to do his bidding. Then things drastically change. She makes a decision to request to go on the company trip that has been historically reserved for the elite of the company.
And that is when it all goes off the rails!. Suddenly Fletcher finds herself teamed up with the CEO's only son - her enemy - and they must work together to leave the island alive and well.
This book is graphic in some scenes (it's a book about murder), however, it isn't overly graphic. And in the end - well - lets just say well-played on the enemies to lovers trope. I can honestly say I was sad when I turned the last page.
Imagine, working your life away as the personal assistant of a rich, eccentric Billionaire CEO of the company you've always dreamed of working for. However, despite, long nights and even longer days you never quite seem to make the cut. This is where Fletcher Spence finds herself. She spends her lunch breaks on the floor of the department she really wants to work for pouring over articles with her friend only to rush back to the CEO's office to do his bidding. Then things drastically change. She makes a decision to request to go on the company trip that has been historically reserved for the elite of the company.
And that is when it all goes off the rails!. Suddenly Fletcher finds herself teamed up with the CEO's only son - her enemy - and they must work together to leave the island alive and well.
This book is graphic in some scenes (it's a book about murder), however, it isn't overly graphic. And in the end - well - lets just say well-played on the enemies to lovers trope. I can honestly say I was sad when I turned the last page.
November 26, 2025
Thank you to Rachel Moore, the publisher and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Fletcher Spence is an aspiring photographer, working as an Executive Assistant to the billionaire CEO of Jett-Setter Magazine. All she wants is a promotion, a living wage, and for all her sacrifices for the company to have been worth it.
She manages to wrangle an invite to join a company retreat on Lydell Island, privately owned by the CEO's family for generations. Off the coast of Madagascar, Lydell has everything you'd expect a billionaire's island to have. Including an abundance of imported wild animals.
Fletcher is hoping to enjoy some luxury, get her promotion and leave having all of her dreams comes true. Instead, she wakes up after their first night on the island to a nightmare. Her boss is dead, having left a will indicating that the last person to survive Lydell will inherit the company and it's assets. Chaos ensues, leaving Fletcher to survive not only the dangers of the island but her unhinged coworkers as well.
This is a fast-paced, campy, fun time.
I imagine if you took The Hunger Games , The Glass Onion and mixed it with some over the top, cut-throat (literally) caricatures of corporate employees Safari Murder Party is what would emerge from the concoction. It ridiculous, and very entertaining.
Fletcher Spence is an aspiring photographer, working as an Executive Assistant to the billionaire CEO of Jett-Setter Magazine. All she wants is a promotion, a living wage, and for all her sacrifices for the company to have been worth it.
She manages to wrangle an invite to join a company retreat on Lydell Island, privately owned by the CEO's family for generations. Off the coast of Madagascar, Lydell has everything you'd expect a billionaire's island to have. Including an abundance of imported wild animals.
Fletcher is hoping to enjoy some luxury, get her promotion and leave having all of her dreams comes true. Instead, she wakes up after their first night on the island to a nightmare. Her boss is dead, having left a will indicating that the last person to survive Lydell will inherit the company and it's assets. Chaos ensues, leaving Fletcher to survive not only the dangers of the island but her unhinged coworkers as well.
This is a fast-paced, campy, fun time.
I imagine if you took The Hunger Games , The Glass Onion and mixed it with some over the top, cut-throat (literally) caricatures of corporate employees Safari Murder Party is what would emerge from the concoction. It ridiculous, and very entertaining.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Imagine wanting to advance in a company to finally get out of the job you so desperately hate. Now imagine that you have forced your way to an island retreat with the owner of the company and all the top dogs of said company. An island with giraffes, huge spiders, lions, tigers, oh my. Now, if you can go one step further with your imagination, imagine there is a death that sends everything spiraling out of control like some form of “Survivor” on crack.
The best part that I haven’t mentioned yet, it is absolutely freakin’ hilarious. Absurdity is amped up. I don’t know my fellow Tennessean, Rachel Moore, but I sure do share your sense of humor.
I thought the premise of the novel sounded fun. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I don’t think a minute passed by that I didn’t laugh about something. Even when the main character is in peril, something always was said or happened that would literally make me laugh out loud. You know, not the “lol” that you send to a friend. A legit laugh out loud.
Sit back, enjoy the beautiful scenery. Enjoy the laughs. There is one short chapter that involved sex, but just do what my grandmother used to do. Get a black permanent marker and cover it up so you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
The best part that I haven’t mentioned yet, it is absolutely freakin’ hilarious. Absurdity is amped up. I don’t know my fellow Tennessean, Rachel Moore, but I sure do share your sense of humor.
I thought the premise of the novel sounded fun. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I don’t think a minute passed by that I didn’t laugh about something. Even when the main character is in peril, something always was said or happened that would literally make me laugh out loud. You know, not the “lol” that you send to a friend. A legit laugh out loud.
Sit back, enjoy the beautiful scenery. Enjoy the laughs. There is one short chapter that involved sex, but just do what my grandmother used to do. Get a black permanent marker and cover it up so you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
October 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.
Fletcher is not living her best life having found out she’s being evicted and not making the cut for Cartwright Media’s trip of promotions (passed over for her boss’s son, Waylon, it would seem). Enter her plan to invite herself to the Safari weeklong party which quickly becomes a Safari Murder Party. It’s a literal eat or be eaten world in this book as Fletcher has to outsmart her coworkers to avoid being killed as all vie to take over the company as the remaining survivor at the end of the week.
This is a perfect capture of the extreme side of corporate politics and expectations grinding you down (figuratively, of course) and the fact that the book managed to make an African island and work murder adventure both funny and a little romantic, plus plenty empowering, is a far greater feat than you might expect possible. Pick this one up for sure, because it pulls it off!
Fletcher is not living her best life having found out she’s being evicted and not making the cut for Cartwright Media’s trip of promotions (passed over for her boss’s son, Waylon, it would seem). Enter her plan to invite herself to the Safari weeklong party which quickly becomes a Safari Murder Party. It’s a literal eat or be eaten world in this book as Fletcher has to outsmart her coworkers to avoid being killed as all vie to take over the company as the remaining survivor at the end of the week.
This is a perfect capture of the extreme side of corporate politics and expectations grinding you down (figuratively, of course) and the fact that the book managed to make an African island and work murder adventure both funny and a little romantic, plus plenty empowering, is a far greater feat than you might expect possible. Pick this one up for sure, because it pulls it off!
November 6, 2025
Think The Devil Wears Prada went out on a safari field trip.
Is this my usual thriller? Absolutely not. Did I have fun? ...it is a wild ride!
For my romance girlies where I am your thriller bestie, you are gonna love this book. Enemies to lovers trope mixed with utter chaos!
As a girl who’s officially broken away from the corporate ladder-climbing burnout club, Fletcher was painfully relatable and for me, watching her grow as an individual instead of within a relationship was more rewarding.
Is this my usual thriller? Absolutely not. Did I have fun? ...it is a wild ride!
For my romance girlies where I am your thriller bestie, you are gonna love this book. Enemies to lovers trope mixed with utter chaos!
As a girl who’s officially broken away from the corporate ladder-climbing burnout club, Fletcher was painfully relatable and for me, watching her grow as an individual instead of within a relationship was more rewarding.
November 16, 2025
This was so fun!
This follows a company trip gone wrong...the title can give you a hint as to how.
This was a fun mix of suspense and romance. And it really read so fast. I can definitely see myself rereading this in the future.
OOOO and this is also an office rivals team-up. And I just love when rivals are forced to work together.
This almost reminded me of Glass Onion (the movie) and Wrecked (the tv show).
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This follows a company trip gone wrong...the title can give you a hint as to how.
This was a fun mix of suspense and romance. And it really read so fast. I can definitely see myself rereading this in the future.
OOOO and this is also an office rivals team-up. And I just love when rivals are forced to work together.
This almost reminded me of Glass Onion (the movie) and Wrecked (the tv show).
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
October 14, 2025
(3,5)
I really enjoy Rachel Moore's writing style and stories. Safari Murder Party was a much anticipated book of 2026 and I'm so grateful I had the chance of reading it early. This was an interesting as well as very funny read. I loved the characters and the story was such a wild-ride! For a debut adult novel, it's a success.
*I received this e-ARC from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy Rachel Moore's writing style and stories. Safari Murder Party was a much anticipated book of 2026 and I'm so grateful I had the chance of reading it early. This was an interesting as well as very funny read. I loved the characters and the story was such a wild-ride! For a debut adult novel, it's a success.
*I received this e-ARC from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2025
Hands down, the best romcom I've read all year! Rachel Moore does not disappoint. With equal amounts horror and humor, a heroine I can 110% relate to, and a heart throb hottie with an icy demeanor and a heart of gold, plus a who-dun-it twist you will not see coming and a colorful as gorgeous as it is fun, this is a book you need to add to your shelf.
October 12, 2025
This was undoubtedly an engaging and enjoyable concept. It's best approached with a lighthearted,
"don't take it too seriously" mindset.
The dark humor and romantic elements were seamlessly integrated, creating a well-balanced narrative. Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me to read and review.
"don't take it too seriously" mindset.
The dark humor and romantic elements were seamlessly integrated, creating a well-balanced narrative. Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me to read and review.
December 7, 2025
WHAT A RIDE!!!! very white lotus meets the most dangerous game, the lost city, and knives out plus all the romcom tension and banter.
a million stars. i want ten more just like it. give me all the unhinged romcoms STAT
thanks to edelweiss and berkley publishing for the DLC 💋
a million stars. i want ten more just like it. give me all the unhinged romcoms STAT
thanks to edelweiss and berkley publishing for the DLC 💋
December 9, 2025
This was an intense read though it started off a little slowly. I liked the end twist even though the villains plan at the actual ending and the love connection left me a little cold. A strong adult debut with room to improve. A YA romance married with the hunger games.
December 21, 2025
This was a lot of fun! It was almost comical in some fun ways and will be a perfect beach read. The concept was fun to see play out too.
Very open-door and detailed romance, which is over my spice limit.
Very open-door and detailed romance, which is over my spice limit.
December 25, 2025
I loved this book. It was entertaining the whole time you want to keep reading to find out what happens. I would definitely recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This wasn’t bad and was a fun read but as a romance it missed the mark and the fmc was a lil too much for me. The plot also wrapped up a lil too nicely for me
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