A review by travelsalongmybookshelf
The Villa by Ruth Kelly, Ruth Kelly

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow! This book was SO addictive! I didn’t want to put it down!

How best to describe this? Compulsive, explosive, scorching, shocking, glamorous and oh so dark! 

The ultimate TV reality show, seven contestants, one island, seven days and one big prize…to die for. 

Laura is an undercover reporter tasked with getting the inside scoop on her fellow contestants and blowing the ‘game’ wide open. But once the show starts, she finds herself at the mercy of the shadowy production, who will do anything to these people for clicks and viewer numbers. There is a whole box of Pandora’s secrets to open, and oh boy, does it open. It really is not a spoiler as it’s in the first chapter that someone ends up dead and we get to read through the eyes of the contestant, the producer and the viewer to see who the victim is and what happens.

It is actually quite a difficult read, we all watch reality shows and it really brings home what can happen and the choices that contestants, producers and viewers make can have huge ramifications, certainly for the contestants. There’s a real insiders knowledge to this one and it’s enticing, voyeuristic but I still wanted to read on.

At times disturbing and horrifying, yet gloriously entertaining, it is a mash up of Lord of the Flies, Big Brother and Love Island - just brilliant!

‘It’s sickening. Your show is nothing more than a gladiator sport.’