The Vicious Circle

A Novel

By: Katherine St. John

Narrated by: Christine Lakin

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

For fans of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty, a twisty, escapist suspense about a mysterious retreat center harboring violent secrets.

“Masterfully plotted and superbly twisty, The Vicious Circle is a read-in-one-sitting thriller.... This novel will send you spiraling into a deadly vortex of greed, lust and lies.” —Rose Carlyle, author of #1 international bestseller The Girl in the Mirror

A perfect paradise? Or a perfect nightmare?

On a river deep in the Mexican jungle stands the colossal villa Xanadu, a wellness center that’s home to an ardent spiritual group devoted to self-help guru Paul Bentzen and his enigmatic wife Kali. But when Paul mysteriously dies, his entire estate—including Xanadu—is left not to Kali, but to his estranged niece Sveta.

Shocked and confused, Sveta travels from New York City to Mexico to pay her respects. At first, Xanadu seems like a secluded paradise with its tumbling gardens, beautiful people, and transcendent vibe. But soon the mystical façade wears thin, revealing a group of brainwashed members drunk on promises of an impossible utopia, guided by a disturbing belief system and a charismatic, dangerously capable leader.

As the sinister forces surrounding Sveta become apparent, she realizes, too late, she can’t escape. Frantic and terrified, she discovers her only chance of survival is to put her confidence in the very person she trusts the least.

©2022 Katherine St. John (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Book review

Great story and narration. A little unrealistic but I enjoyed the storyline.

I would recommend it to others.

Not the greatest

While the narration was very good, the story was not. The main protagonist really started to get on my nerves towards the end of the book, and it was just a bit unrealistic and contrived for my liking.

Loved it 🤗

Just the right pace. Enough twists and turns to keep my attention. Characters seemed a little mature for the ages stated, but overall held my attention.

Great story

I really enjoyed this novel. It had adventure, mystery and some heartfelt angles. I will be looking for other novels by this author.

Not the strongest by the author but not bad…

This was definitely the book out of all her three that i liked the least, but it wasn’t bad. Interesting premise but as far as culty books go, this one was a little….lackluster.
Narration was good per usual though.

Enjoyable listen

Enjoyable listen with some twists in the plot. Character love interest was a little bit of a yawn with fiancé - but I won’t go into details bc that would mean spoilers.

Great story

New to this author but enjoyed the story. Felt there could have been more to the ending.

Kept me on the edge of my seat

I really enjoyed this book. Sveta, a Russian American ex-model, received a surprising phone call from the man, Lucas, who ghosted her after taking her virginity. Lucas, now a lawyer, was entrusted to fulfill Sveta's uncle's last wishes. Uncle Paul shockingly left her his entire estate, a compound in the heart of Mexico. But Sveta realized after traveling to Mexico that things are not as they seem in Xanadu or perhaps, they're exactly what they seem.
The reason I enjoyed this so much was because of the relationships Sveta formed while stranded at this strange compound. Sveta is the only one who can set things right at Xanadu but is her life worth the battle? Solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thoroughly enjoyed!

This one had me hooked from the beginning. It’s a great summer read. I liked that it was different from most of the other books I read regularly in the thriller/mystery genre. I plan to read more from this author.