Belle first met Summer when they were in summer school together. French. They bonded instantly and held on through the years, through good times and bad, while they lived close by and after Summer’s mother moved them away. Still the girls kept their friendship alive. Now it’s Summer’s 30th birthday, and she wants to celebrate big, so she invites Belle, a couple of their other friends, her mother, and her sister onto her billionaire boyfriend’s luxury yacht for a week in the Mediterranean. Who could say no to that?

Belle, an actress (and bartender/server), isn’t used to luxury like that. But with the private plane and the expensive gifts that Summer shares with her guests, the private yacht and the opulent meals and the expensive wines, Belle thinks maybe she could get used to it.

And yet, something is a little off.

Before they all got on the yacht, Belle and her fellow guests had to turn over their passports. The luxury yacht has no wifi, so they have no cell phone service. They had to sign non-disclosure agreements, and agree to get approval for any posts about the trip (they do have cell service in the port cities). And while all that rubs Belle the wrong way, she is far more disturbed by Summer’s behavior. Belle’s former best friend seems to be irritated with her, and Belle feels a little like she’s getting pushed to the side, frozen out a little, and she’s not sure why. Summer is keeping secrets from her, and Belle doesn’t like that.

But maybe, just maybe, Belle has secrets of her own.

The Lion’s Den is a riveting novel of women and their friendships, their secrets, their resentments, and their naked lust for the things they consider most important in life. Author Katherine St. John weaves together a story of years of friendship and loyalty, and the behaviors that can wear away at the women who share such a bond.

I loved this book at first, when I thought it was just about a luxury vacation with old friends. But then, it got a little mysterious, and I wondered where the story was going. And then there were more questions, building like a thriller, and I couldn’t put it down before I knew the whole truth of what was going on. This book is so much more than you think it will be, and it will take you places far beyond just France and Italy. It will take you to the very depths of the human soul. And you’ll be so glad you decided to spend that week on the luxury yacht, even without the wifi.

Egalleys for The Lion’s Den were provided by Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley, with many thanks.