The Vacation - John Marrs

Genre: Adult Fiction | Thriller | Mystery

Released: Expected 24th June 2021

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Previously published as Welcome to Wherever You Are

Content Warnings: Racism, Guns, Drugs, Alcohol, Graphic Violence, Rape, Assault, Death.

The tourists that cover the golden sands of Venice Beach, Los Angeles are dreaming of suntans, holidays and Hollywood - full of people who come together from all over the world to have fun.

But for eight perfect strangers an unassuming seafront hostel full of free beer and complimentary cockroaches, the only thing that will bring them together is secrets. And even with the sun shining outside, there are things following them in the shadows that they're still running from.

And they'll do anything to escape them.

There's a difference between tourists and travellers - someone who's been travelling for long enough can always tell. Whether they're trying to find something or running away from something, there's something keeping them moving. From trying to solve clues an old friend left, running from a dangerous enemy or trying to escape death itself, our strangers all have a reason why they've ended up at the Venice Beach Hostel.

Told from multiple points of view and multiple timelines - The Vacation could have easily been confusing but it was so masterfully crafted that it was so easy to follow and each character had such a distinct voice and personality that every single person was memorable long after the last page. Each of them had their own mysterious background and trauma they were dealing with, some of them intertwining in ways they'd never expect until it was too late.

Now, this hit really heavy in places - from violent racist fathers to brutal assaults so it's definitely not for sensitive readers. But this was a perfectly wrapped mystery - sinister and absorbing right until the last word.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to John Marrs, Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

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