The Dahlia Suite: A Novel

by Carinn Jade

In a riveting new novel from the acclaimed author of The Astrology House, three women come together to investigate a string of haunting disappearances in a tropical paradise.

When Paige arrives at Sueños, the Caribbean’s most exclusive resort on Beck Island, she’s eager to use the time away from her young son to shake off the writer’s block that has stifled her new career as an author.

Hollywood starlet Lindsay Law is on a mission of her own at Sueños: spiraling from a recent Oscar loss, she’s determined to find out why the winner in her category gave thanks to Mara Morgan, the legendary actress who owned Beck Island before her tragic death.

While Paige and Lindsay are drawn together by creative inspiration, Gabby, the resort’s concierge, is torn apart by the loss of a coworker and the mysterious appearance of a man from her past. Gabby still has the power to grant her guests’ most over-the-top requests, but she’s helpless against her own grief and confusion.

As the sun-soaked days of bliss morph into sinister connections, Paige, Lindsay, and Gabby are united by a shocking twist, and must race to untangle the knot of Beck Island’s mysteries before another woman vanishes.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Summer Reads, Adult Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published July 21, 2026

Reviews

[Dana K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Atria Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are own.

Beck Island is an exclusive resort where the rich and famous go to relax in anonymity. Following a loss at the Oscars, Lindsay goes there to hide and reassess her career. Paige's husband works for the corporation that owns the island, she joins him on a trip as she is struggling with her IVF journey. Gabby works on the island and is struggling with the recent disappearance of a coworker. These three women come together as another woman goes missing to try to figure out what happened and how to recharge Lindsay's career.

I liked this story a lot. I was slightly more invested in the missing women story than the let's write a movie script story but they dovetail nicely in the end. Where it went was not at all predictable, the culprit was unpredictable and yet in retrospect, the clues were there. The vibes were also perfect for summer.

[Liana Gold]

Similar vibes to White Lotus!
More mystery & Thrillers

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Carinn Jade for the early eARC.

Publication date: July 21, 2026

[Ten Cats Reading]

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the arc!📚

DNF @ p115

Final Thoughts

At first, this book was just a concept mismatch for me. But I hung in there for over a hundred pages and I felt the style was lacking consistently through the chapters. Poorly structured dialog, scene construction issues, and lack of transition made this into a dull read for me. Even though I didn't like it, it reminded me of many other thrillers I've read that I did like, such as The Breakup Retreat and The Storm. I think fans of these others will probably enjoy this one also.

Content warning: pregnancy, loss of pregnancy, blood, infertility, fertility treatments

[Christina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dahlia Suite by Carinn Jade is a captivating and atmospheric read that pulls you into the mystery of a secluded island resort. With multiple perspectives woven together, the story follows Paige and her husband Ethan as they vacation, Lindsay a Hollywood actress seeking refuge and Gabby, a hotel worker who helps everyone. As their paths intertwine, the secrets of the island slowly begin to unravel.

What stood out most to me was Paige’s character. Her personal struggles felt genuine and relatable, adding an emotional depth that grounded the suspenseful elements of the story. The author does a wonderful job balancing intrigue with character development, making it easy to stay invested in both the mystery and the people at the heart of it.

The setting itself is vivid and adds to the tension, creating an almost eerie sense that something isn’t quite right beneath the surface. While the pacing occasionally slows, the overall story remains engaging and well crafted.

A compelling and enjoyable read that keeps you guessing…I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries with supernatural elements.

[jutea · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a vibe similar to The White Lotus, the first half of the book had me completely hooked. I’m usually not a big fan of multi-perspective narratives, but the author introduced each character’s storyline so well that it never felt repetitive. I did wish the ending had been more fully developed, it felt a bit rushed, and a lot unfolded in the final chapters that could have been explored in more depth. I wasn't expecting the more supernatural aspect at all...

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

An island, a missing girl, and a group of friends aiming to find out what happened.

This is a slow burn mystery to start. It really starts building up the friendships and the characters. The mystery starts midway and was interesting. Even though I'd guessed some turns and reveals before they happened, I thought this was an entertaining mystery.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Noémie · Rating 4 out of 5]

didn't know "vacation suspense" was a full genre, but i LOVE that !
c'était grave bien je l'ai bouffé en une après-midi. plein de trucs à redire sur le plot et j'aurais aimé qu'il soit 2 fois plus long pour que le suspense soit vraiment puissant et que les plot-twists soient vraiment plus goûtus, mais nonobstant un excellent petit thriller sur une île paradisiaque !

[maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

ooof.

[Tammy O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this mystery set on a beautiful island. I did like Gabby and her resort management interactions. But the entire first half of the book is spent setting up Lindsay, Paige and Mara’s stories. They were all a hot mess and there was hardly any mystery yet.

The second half picked up once the suspicious island activity was revealed, and Gabby started looking for answers. Lindsay and Paige were oblivious until almost the end when Gabby finally confided in them. In the meantime, there’s a slog through endless “writings/articles” about Hollywood and Mara. Some of it was necessary but it became tiresome to me.

Then suddenly everything happened at once and that was the end. I literally went back several pages to re-read and see if I missed something. Many questions were left unanswered and the epilogue was vague, too.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just an incredibly entertaining read, all around. I immediately loved the characters. This setting is paradise, but also incredibly isolated. And there are so many swirling mysteries that could or could not be connected.

The synopsis is but a blip of what this book has to offer. There are so many strands of intricate webbing, creating this tense story. You get multiple female character povs and they are each so powerful and capable. I absolutely loved this one!!

The writing is where this book really shines, though. Carinn Jade is an intelligent writer, making you instantly trust you’re going to enjoy the ride. The detail in this book is great, on so many levels.

Read this if you love strong women, Hollywood drama, juicy mysteries, or beachy, summer thrillers!

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the most disorganized and chaotic book I have read. The characters all seemed the same. The story did not flow and was very disjointed.
The fact that one of the characters had psychic powers and that there was a tarot card reader was at first intriguing but nothing was ever questioned and it didn’t blend with any part of the story.
Things would happen with no background explanation it’s as if they were just thrown into the book for filler.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Julie Maleski (juliereads_alot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @atriabooks #AtriaInfluencers for the ARC of this book...this is my honest review.

📖 The Dahlia Suite 📖
Author: Carinn Jade
Pub Date: July 21, 2026
Publisher: Atria Books

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Happy Pub Day to Carinn Jade and her sophomore thriller, The Dahlia Suite! After reading her debut last year, The Astrology House, I was really excited to read The Dahlia Suite .. And it did not disappoint! This book was an unhinged locked room thriller set at a private and exclusive tropical island resort. Its summer vibes jumped off the pages and I wanted to immerse myself in its lush beaches... Until women started disappearing, of course. 

This was a quick read, told from multiple POVs in alternating chapters that really kept the pacing moving quickly. I loved the way Jade interspersed mixed media chapters of scripts and articles to the story, which really enriched the development of the storylines.

Sueños is the Caribbean’s most exclusive resort, set on the private and remote Beck Island, and it is the place people go when they want a private vacation away from their everyday lives. Paige is eager to use the time away from her young son to shake off the writer’s block that has stifled her new career as an author. Hollywood starlet Lindsay is on a mission of her own: she’s determined to find out why the actress who beat her to win the Oscar gave thanks to Mara Morgan, the legendary actress who owned Beck Island before her tragic death. Gabby is the resort’s concierge, and she's torn apart by the loss of a coworker and the mysterious appearance of a man from her past. The three women must work together to investigate a string of haunting disappearances from the resort -- before another woman disappears. 

The Dahlia Suite was definitely a thriller that's best enjoyed with a complete suspension of your disbelief, but what a fun and wild ride it was! If you're a fan of locked room thrillers, strong female main characters, and gorgeous tropical island settings, you will love this book! 

#TheDahliaSuite #CarinnJade #AtriaBooks #AtriaInfluencers #ARC #thrillerreads #thrilleraddict #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

[Julie (JuJu) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Jessica Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exclusive private island with rich people behaving badly and missing women...the premise was so interesting but the execution dragged on. It gives White Lotus vibes but it missed the mark. The story takes too long to come together so the ending felt rushed and anticlimatic.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise immediately brings intrigue. A resort so insular the only access line is word of mouth. Address, phone number, bookings; none. It’s the perfect setup for a confluence of lives and mystery. Exclusivity and privilege breed expectations of thoughtless ease for guests at Sueños, yet there is a subtle unsteadiness beneath it all.

I was drawn to the women at the center of it: the caretaker, the actor, the mother; and the woman the island can’t quite leave behind. Their stories give the mystery enough shape which is why the supernatural turn caught me off guard.

A renowned psychic reading for actors and actresses makes sense in this world; it fits the Hollywood lore, the wealth, the desperation, the way people look for meaning when control starts slipping. I could fully buy that kind of catalyst. But once the supernatural element became more literal, and the reveals kept multiplying, and the dead were not quite dead, and the good were not quite good, the book tipped from strange to silly for me.

Still, I liked enough of the setup and the women to stay with it, even when the ending started to lose me.

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nicest Caribbean style resort comes with top of the line amenities, privacy for the rich and famous, and utter mayhem once we meet the three ladies that star in this novel. Gabby works on the staff, Lindsay is an actress who can't seem to win an Oscar, and Paige is married to the developer of the island's architecture itself. When rumors of a tragic island heiress and ties to her past surface in relation to actresses successful wins, the characters traverse Suenos to solve the small problem of disappearing women over time. Although this sounds like a lot on the surface, some of the plotting is loads obvious in the best way. I enjoyed each sleuthing moment, and the brevity of the chapters contributed to a very smooth pace. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Lauren]

Dnf @ 20%. But this dnf is entirely trigger related. Thanks to Netgalley, Atria books, and Carinn Jade for the arc.

The description given of the book only states that Paige is struggling with writer’s block. She is also struggling with secondary infertility after extremely traumatic childbirth (detailed graphically minute by minute in a flashback) and three subsequent miscarriages in two years.

I assume this doesn’t really go to the mystery, but in her chapters so far it is something that appears to be very integral to Paige as a character, so I assume it will be brought up more times throughout and that’s just not something I am up for reading.

[Kate | Date With A Thriller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved The Astrology House, so when I found out Carinn Jade was coming out with this one, I just had to grab it! 🙌

More of a mystery than a thriller, this one gave off White Lotus vibes! Loved the exclusive island resort setting! I did feel the pacing was off at times, and while I love the astrology mentions, I felt it was a bit too much. Definitely a decent beach read though! 👏

Thank you partner Atria Books for the gifted advance reader copy and eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

[Eve Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won the book on Goodreads as an ARC reader.

This was an easy, engaging read with a suspenseful storyline that kept me interested from start to finish. I especially enjoyed the short chapters told from the perspectives of different main characters, which kept the pace moving and added depth to the story. I would definitely recommend this book!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Audiobook

Thanks to Atria Books / Simon Audio for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The woo woo vibes are vibing in this book. So many secrets to uncover.

It was a decent Hollywood mystery novel set on a private island where celebs go when they want privacy.

They can make your dreams come true…but where there are dreams there are also nightmares.

[Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for The Dahlia Suite. You follow three women who have to unravel the mystery of woman going missing from a remote island. It’s advertised as a who done it but reads more like a spiritual journey. It wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea but it was a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a cozy mystery and a clean read.

[Denise Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and author, Carinn Jade, for the opportunity to read The Dahlia Suite in exchange for an honest review.


A good slow burn kind of book. There are twists, some more surprising than others. Ending came together quickly. I’m used to POV chapters that change, but I did have to remind myself here and there who was whom. The delving into some spiritual/supernatural was interesting and felt necessary to make the leap from one section of the story to the next. Without it, trying to connect the reveal of information wouldn’t have been smooth and disjointed at best.
I appreciated how the main characters, Paige, Lindsay and Gabby, have differing experiences and are from differing walks of life, yet had subtle similarities and personal histories that made their collaboration expected and not a reach.
It’s neat to imagine a place the wealthy can go that meets all their needs, especially and most importantly, privacy and discretion. Even better that Beck Island has a history of events and associations that connects each of the main characters to it. It’s a place that’s safe, where crime doesn’t happen, until it does. And what’s underneath that facade of perfection? This could be said about the island and the main characters.
It was an enjoyable read that keeps you guessing, because while some things may seem obvious, most of it isn’t.

[KaseyG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick synopsis: On an exclusive island resort frequented by the richest of the rich, everything is not as it seems when a former employee is found dead and another goes missing.
Thoughts: This one really had it all - gorgeous setting, messy drama, rich people behaving badly, and truly shocking twists. The multi cast narration was once again so fun to listen to and all of the narrators were great! The perfect summer thriller for fans of The White Lotus!

Read this if you like:
🏝️ resort setting
🏝️ lifestyles of the rich and famous
🏝️ multi pov
🏝️ supernatural element
🏝️ missing person

[Emily Sorensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just ok for me. I didn't especially care for any of the characters, and I found the psychic storyline a bit cheesy. I liked the twist at the end, but it was a bit slow to get to the exciting stuff.

[Danielle Holmes]

DNF 🎧book @9%

[booksta_lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a promising start and I love rich people and wealthy settings books, but somewhere towards the middle it began falling apart for me. The characters became annoying and shallow, the story got boring really fast. I was hoping for a more creepy factor, but even that did not deliver.

[Marisha (MarishaReadsALot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Atria for the gifted ARC!

This book is told from the perspective of three women who are each at the exclusive Sueños resort for different reasons. Together they team up to look into mysterious disappearances on the private island.

White Lotus fans, this book totally scratched the itch of missing this show! There were secrets abound, characters you weren’t totally sure you could trust, and plenty of mystery and intrigue. I was totally hooked from the very first page and I flew through it! Highly recommend for something a little different than your typical mystery/thriller.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Dahlia Suite in exchange for my honest review.

I’d like to preface this by saying that I am a BIG white lotus fan and well-versed in both astrology and tarot. I feel like the latter is really important to mention because I’m almost never going to roll my eyes at a mention of someone’s big three or a tarot reference in writing when it’s done well, but the references to astrology throughout this book were both clunky and unnecessary. You mean to tell me ALL of the main characters know their birth chart and reference it often if that it’s coming up in convos with people they barely know? Be so for real. In my opinion, this led to the characters all blending into one another.

In Paige’s case especially, she mentions to the medium/tarot reader that it’s weird she’d be seeking guidance from him only to, for the rest of the story, say stuff that is sooo deeply coded in mystical, “divine feminine”-jargon. I’d have preferred to see Paige lean into this more slowly or discover it in a way that was paced more realistically.

For most of the story, I was trying to place whether including this information so often was intended to be tongue in cheek, referencing kind of “woo woo” interests of the elite, or if it was the author wanting to reference these things by any means necessary, at the expense of a story and dialogue that felt authentic. In the end it felt like the latter which was a shame.

Now- the setting of this story feels very white lotus-y. I loved that! We’re exploring themes of class and seeing this brought to life looking at the pristine and luxurious setting of this resort compared to what’s going down behind the scenes. While I really liked this aspect of the story, I found the moving parts around it to be so disjointed and unrealistic that it made my head spin a little. I found Lindsay and Paige’s motivations so unclear and vastly different from chapter to chapter that it was pretty tough for me to keep track of why they wanted to do certain things. The urgency just wasn’t there in a way that justified those choices being made- Paige didn’t need publishers turning her book down. There was no actual need for Lindsay to have experienced an Oscar snub. These extra details didn’t feel like red herrings, but more like loose pieces that didn’t get tied up effectively.

Mara’s storyline and its retelling through (???) Paige felt awkward, and I found myself longing for an alternate storyline where she’d left a written record of her life in a bottle that washed ashore that could have served the same purpose. And yeah, I realize that’s also deeply far fetched.

Last, and this might be so dumb, but I reallyyyyy struggled to believe Paige, with her history of miscarriages, would have needed to look up misoprostol. Her googling it and having this big realization about what Lindsay needed it for was so aggravating to me and kind of yanked me out of the story.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dahlia Suite has the exact energy of watching rich people emotionally disintegrate in matching resort wear while one exhausted woman behind the scenes is five seconds away from walking directly into the ocean. Which, unfortunately for me, is catnip.

Sueños is this wildly exclusive Caribbean resort where every guest arrives carrying enough emotional baggage to sink a yacht. Paige is there pretending she’s working through writer’s block when she’s actually unraveling over motherhood, ambition, and the horrifying realization that your dream life can still make you feel vaguely empty inside. Lindsay Law, a movie star fresh off an Oscar loss, shows up with the kind of fragile ego only Hollywood can produce, where one woman thanking another actress during an acceptance speech becomes a full conspiracy theory. Then there’s Gabby, the concierge, who spends the entire book managing the needs of rich people while actively drowning in grief herself, and honestly? Employee of the month forever. Somebody get this woman a tequila soda and a therapist who specializes in “things seen while working luxury hospitality.”

The resort itself is doing so much heavy lifting here. Every scene feels humid and expensive and vaguely cursed. You can practically smell the sunscreen and bad decisions. This place has the exact “a billionaire definitely buried something here” atmosphere that makes vacation thrillers so addictive. And meanwhile women are disappearing around the island while everyone keeps acting like maybe the vibes will fix themselves if they schedule another beachfront massage. Incredible behavior. Deeply unserious survival instincts across the board.

And look. We need to discuss the astrology. Because this book said, “What if every woman here knew her moon sign AND there was possibly a murderer?” There is so much tarot, psychic energy, cosmic destiny, spiritual awakening content happening that at one point I genuinely felt like the killer might turn out to be Mercury retrograde itself. But somehow the book commits so hard to the bit that I circled back around from “absolutely not” to “fine, tell me more about the haunted rich people island.” That’s talent.

What saves this from becoming complete chaos soup is that the women actually feel emotionally real underneath all the glamour and murder and mystical nonsense. Paige especially has this quiet sadness humming under everything she does. Her storyline about infertility and losing pieces of herself to motherhood could have gotten unbearably heavy, but instead it sneaks up on you between scenes of psychic visions and suspicious celebrities. Lindsay is fully the kind of actress who says she’s “taking time away from Hollywood” while absolutely wanting everyone to notice she’s taking time away from Hollywood, but there’s still something painfully human about how desperate she is to matter. And Gabby? My GOD. Gabby spending all day making impossible things happen for wealthy strangers while her own life quietly falls apart felt a little too real in a “women will literally develop stress-induced psychic abilities before asking for help” kind of way.

The pacing is messy though. Not fatally messy. More like a woman sprinting through an airport in designer sandals while carrying six emotional support iced coffees. The first half is very vibes-heavy, lots of secrets and longing looks and rich people being spiritually unwell near infinity pools. Then the second half kicks the door open and starts throwing twists around like production heard they only had twenty minutes left of the season finale. Some of it absolutely works. Some of it feels like the book took a tiny edible and got overconfident.

But honestly? I was entertained the entire time. Even when the plot got a little “what in the Nicole Kidman limited series is happening here,” I still wanted to know where it was going. Because underneath the murder mystery and supernatural weirdness, this is really a story about women trying to reclaim themselves after grief, failure, loss, ambition, and all the different ways the world tells them they’re no longer useful. Which sounds serious, and it is, but the book wisely wraps all that pain inside tropical resort chaos and suspiciously attractive people.

Also, side note, there is something deeply funny about wealthy people seeking “healing” on private islands when what they actually need is to log off and drink water. Half these characters would have solved their problems faster with one normal friend from New Jersey telling them to get a grip.

By the end I was fully locked in, emotionally invested, and willing to forgive the fact that this story occasionally feels like The White Lotus wandered directly into a crystal shop during a thunderstorm. It’s dramatic, chaotic, overheated, a little ridiculous, surprisingly heartfelt, and exactly the kind of thriller that makes you want to text your friend, “You need to read this immediately so we can yell about these women.” Easy 3.5 stars. I had complaints, but I was also having a fantastic time.

Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side-Eye Every Rich Man Holding A Green Juice Near The Marina

And thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC, because apparently my favorite genre now is “emotionally unstable women solving crimes while surrounded by artisanal candles and generational wealth.”

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dahlia Suite pulled me in slowly and deliberately, taking its time to let me settle into the world and really get to know the characters before tightening the screws. That patience pays off. By the time the story turns twisty, I was fully invested, and eventually, completely unable to put it down until the ending, which I never saw coming.

The novel is told from the points of view of three women: Gabby, Lindsay, and Paige. Each was carrying her own private struggles to Suenos Resort on Beck Island, a small, exclusive private island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Suenos caters to the ultra-wealthy, offering luxury and privacy that feels almost unreal… and that setting of “perfect paradise” becomes a sharp contrast to the very real problems the characters bring with them.

Gabby is the resort concierge, someone who prides herself on making other people’s dreams come true while quietly neglecting her own. Lindsay is an actress desperate to win an Oscar, retreating to Suenos to reassess her career and her life away from public scrutiny. Paige is married to Ethan, the COO of the hospitality company that operates the resort, and she’s struggling on two fronts: infertility after trying to conceive again, and the frustration of a manuscript that no publisher seems willing to accept. Each woman’s voice feels distinct, and I appreciated how their experiences, hang-ups, and emotional baggage unfolded naturally through their individual perspectives.

This book truly has a bit of everything, lost love, the possibility of romance rekindled, murder, and even a touch of the paranormal, all set against a backdrop most people would consider absolute paradise. When someone goes missing and it becomes clear she isn’t the first, the story shifts gears and becomes increasingly tense and unpredictable.

I’ll admit that when a psychic entered the picture, I initially rolled my eyes. I’m skeptical by nature. But the way Jade integrates this element, particularly in relation to Paige, felt organic and surprisingly effective. Even if you’re unsure where you land on psychic abilities, the story makes it easy to suspend disbelief and lean into it.

If I had to note one critique, it would be that the book starts on the slower side as the foundation is being built. Personally, I appreciated that time spent developing character and atmosphere, but readers expecting immediate action should know this is a gradual, layered build. Once it takes off, though, it really takes off.

The hook, for me, is simple and powerful: even in paradise, people don’t leave their troubles behind, and sometimes those troubles are deadly. I loved how justice was ultimately handled and how the women find their way forward without everything being neatly or unrealistically tied up.

I don’t want to give anything away, but I can say this confidently: I loved this book. As the story grew, so did my inability to stop reading. I would recommend The Dahlia Suite to just about everyone. Yes, everyone. It really is That Good.

A special thank you to Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.