By Kaylie Seed
Content warning: Rape, Assault, Murder, Overdose, Drug Abuse
Readers looking for an “anytime” mysterious beach read will find The Siren perfect. Set on the Caribbean Island of St. Genesius, a group of actors have come together to film The Siren, which promises to keep audiences wanting more with a sultry storyline and a cast that feels intimately connected.
Told from the point of view of three women who arrive on set each with their own motive for being there: Stella, known for her unstableness off-screen, is hoping to reclaim her career. Taylor, new to the producer’s life, is hoping to turn her career around after her previous job ended in scandal. And Felicity, Stella’s new assistant, came with plans that may threaten everyone else’s plans with this movie. When a hurricane threatens their beachy movie vibes, the three women find themselves united but misplaced trust ends up becoming more threatening than the hurricane barreling towards them.
Each of the three main characters is developed well and their unique voices shine as they narrate their parts of the story. While the overall plot could feel predictable at times, The Siren was enjoyable regardless and readers who enjoy multiple points of view will find joy in this murder mystery beach read. Something that added to the entertainment of the story was the tabloid inserts between chapters. They allowed readers to learn more about each character from an outside perspective and it helped to break up the story as well.
The pacing in The Siren felt a little all over the place at times. This can be frustrating to a reader who is expecting a plot to move a certain way. Readers should not go into this one expecting it to be as light and airy as its cover. The Siren certainly has a darker story, but it felt genuine and was written well. St. John is an author to watch out for!
Thank you, Hachette Book Group, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.