The SirenThe Siren by Katherine St. John
Published by Grand Central Publishing on May 4, 2021
Pages: 416
View Title on Goodreads
Bantering Books Rating: four-half-stars

From Katherine St. John, author of The Lion's Den, comes another sublimely escapist thriller: When dangerously handsome megastar Cole Power hires his ex-wife, Stella Rivers, to act in his son's film, he sparks a firestorm on an isolated island that will unearth long-buried secrets -- and unravel years of lies.

In the midst of a sizzling hot summer, some of Hollywood's most notorious faces are assembled on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Genesius to film The Siren, starring dangerously handsome megastar Cole Power playing opposite his ex-wife, Stella Rivers. The surefire blockbuster promises to entice audiences with its sultry storyline and intimately connected cast.
Three very different women arrive on set, each with her own motive. Stella, an infamously unstable actress, is struggling to reclaim the career she lost in the wake of multiple, very public breakdowns. Taylor, a fledgling producer, is anxious to work on a film she hopes will turn her career around after her last job ended in scandal. And Felicity, Stella's mysterious new assistant, harbors designs of her own that threaten to upend everyone's plans.
With a hurricane brewing offshore, each woman finds herself trapped on the island, united against a common enemy. But as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more perilous than the storm itself.

Bantering Books Review


4.5 stars

Swimsuit ✔
Sunscreen ✔
Beach Towel ✔
The Siren by Katherine St. John ✔

Wait! What’s that you say? The Siren isn’t on your summer vacay packing list?!?!

In that case, it’s good that I caught you before you left town, as you certainly will not want to be without it.

Because St. John’s scandalous novel of movie mayhem has everything you could want in a beach read – a Caribbean locale, celebrity drama, murder, romance, girl power, a hurricane.

Yep. Even a hurricane.

And it’s terrific. The Siren is written exceptionally well – more so than what I typically see in summer reading fare – and it’s superbly paced. The plot and characters are developed to the fullest, and the voices of the three female narrators are strong and vibrant. It scores points, too, for featuring an intriguing murder mystery with a twist I never saw coming.

Really, I have only minor grumbles to share, like the novel’s predictable plot and too-vague resolution of my favorite narrator’s storyline. For the most part, I have nothing but raves.

The Siren is wild, escapist fun. It’s sunny. Sandy. Surfy. It has heart. And it will take you away, far better than Calgon ever could.

I can’t imagine happening upon a more perfect summer read.

My sincerest appreciation to Katherine St. John and Grand Central Publishing for the physical Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

four-half-stars