Review
In Deadly Company by L. S. Stratton is an entertaining and suspenseful read. The author sets the tone from the get-go. Young executive assistant Nicole is reluctantly coordinating her elitist man-child boss’s lavish birthday celebration and can’t wait to walk away once it’s over. But she’s also orchestrating a secret game hoping to help her mysterious conspirator find answers. When her boss’s guests begin to show up – his frat-buddy best friend and his family, his high maintenance aunt, a brown-nosing executive, and a surprise appearance from a competitor – Nicole finds herself in over her head. And then the party takes a dangerous turn.
While the story takes place in present day, readers get flashbacks from the party itself. Over the course of the story, we see the interactions and other events that led up to the disastrous night, while also seeing how the present-day movie production unfolds to Nicole’s disadvantage. The author successfully misdirects readers as to who the ultimate culprit is – and the final reveal is more complicated than you’d expect.
While the story was a bit slow and underwhelming at times, the suspense and twists will keep readers hooked. Mystery lovers who enjoy White Lotus vibes and need more BIPOC writers/characters on their reading list should check out In Deadly Company.
L. S. Stratton joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about her writing experience and plans for the future. Keep an ear out for the interview and preorder a copy of the book in the meantime. In Deadly Company is available on September 2.
Book
As the assistant of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Nicole Underwood has plenty of tasks on her to-do list—one of which is the blowout birthday celebration for her nightmare, one-percenter boss, Xander Chambers. But when the party ends in chaos and murder and Nicole is one of the survivors, suspicion—from the investigators to the media—lands on her. Was she the reason for all the bloodshed?
A year after those deadly events, Nicole tries to set the public record straight by agreeing to consult on a feature film based on her story. However, on the set in LA, she’s sidelined by inappropriate casting and persistent, bizarre script changes, while also haunted by the events of that party weekend with visions of her now-deceased boss. It seems clearing her name isn’t so simple when the question of guilt or innocence is…complicated.
