Why was this not better, just hard work ... yawn!

OMG - I really persevered with this one. Even the horrible description of animal abuse and mutilation which in my book is grounds for immediate return. I am so sorry that I did not abandon book right there and then.

It should have been so good.
Fabulous Greek private island
Super rich intriguing family with private jet.
Initially interesting actor character.
Potential romance.
Mysteries galore.

Well first off I could not really get a handle on the cast of characters partially due to the narrator.
There was the wife, who seemed Danish or Dutch or perhaps Scandinavian.
The PA who sounded as if English was not her first language either but did not have as marked an accent.
The tutor with the prosthetic leg who sounded quite like the PA ... who sounded quite like the wife.
Then the men and the child who all were narrated without being assigned a voice.

Then there was the rather horrible animal abuse.
What a super lazy trope that is for identifying someone mentally ill and homicidal.
Yes I do know psychopaths and serial killers often begin this way but ....... isn't it a bit of a tired imaginationless cliche?
and two - do we really need upsetting and unnecessary gore to attempt to ramp up tension?

Anyway this is the only real thing that made an impact on me in the whole book which as you can imagine has left me with a nasty taste in my mouth.
I did not care also for the other gore, which while it was not shocking was just needlessly unpleasant.
I say needlessly, but actually I never found a reason for the murder/s.

I kept getting so mixed up with the characters.
The strange chauffeur/henchman/handyman who seemed to do simply everything seemed unlikely and of course the whole set up was preposterous - but this was really the least of my complaints.

I simply did not find it entertaining or even strung together in a way that encouraged one to read on.
I skipped from chapter to chapter but there was no compelling storyline, just a lot of vaguely unlikeable people.
I went back to this audiobook night after night as frankly I have returned quite a few books recently and was so eager not to return this one but I just wish I had never bothered.

This tome even may have put me off Greek Islands in general - which I used to adore.

Avoid - there are so many many many better books out there - destination thrillers, which capture the essence and charm of a place and whisk you away there. Three dimensional characters which fascinate and intrigue and love or even love to hate and ,mysteries so full of twists and turns they take your breath away.

Recommend Hot Water by Christopher Fowler, Conviction and Confidence by Denise Mina, The Heatwave by Kate Riorden, Shiver by Allie Reynolds, The French Girl by Lexie Elliot (2019), Ruth Ware (Anything except The Lying Game), Magpie Murders by Anthony Horrowitz, Robert Galbreith's Cormorant Strike series, Louise Candlish, Sabine Durant, Jo Spain - so many fabulous thrillers - sadly "The Getaway" is not fabulous and fails to thrill even a little bit.

So sorry Audible but this one HAS to go back.

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