by Ruth Ware
First published 2024
Lyla's career is stalling and her relationship with aspiring actor Nico is rocky. When he gets cast on a reality TV show called The Perfect Couple, she auditions alongside him. They win spots and travel to Ever After Island in the Indian Ocean to compete against four other couples for prize money. The first challenge leaves everyone angry and shaken. Then a violent storm hits overnight, cutting them off from the mainland and the production crew. With no phones and no way to signal for help, the ten contestants must survive on their own. Fresh water runs dangerously low. Tensions explode between the couples. Lyla realizes this isn't just a game anymore when people start dying. Someone among the remaining contestants is killing the others. Trapped on the island with a murderer, Lyla must figure out who she can trust before she becomes the next victim.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, trapped, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Ever After Island, Indian Ocean
385 pages · Hardcover · Scout Press
Content warnings: death, violence