They Had It Coming by Nikki Smith

 

After an unsettling experience in their home in London Sophie and Jude decide the time is right to take up the offer from close friends Nate and Layla to visit them in their new home in Bali. However, the simmering tension between Sophie and Layla puts the dream holiday at risk of turning into a nightmare.

They Had It Coming is my first foray into the novels of Nikki Smith, well-known for her destination thrillers. After the gradual revelations, the proliferation of secrets and the wicked twists I don't think it will be my last.

Recently married Sophie and Jude have successful careers and the plans for their future are well underway. Their lives could be described as perfect. Returning home from work one day Sophie disturbs a burglary taking place in their flat, an event which really unsettles her. The couple decide that now is the ideal time to put their plans on hold and visit their close friends in Bali. Nate and Layla moved to the island a year ago and have had a luxury villa built, perfect for them to host a visit from Sophie and Jude.

When the couple land they discover that everything isn't as ideal as Nate had described, problems with the contractor have delayed the completion of the villa, however, they have plenty of space in their rented accommodation. However, this isn't the biggest stumbling block in what should be the reunion of close friends and a dream vacation, there is a lot of hostility between Sophie and Layla. The reason for the acrimony is events that took place at Sophie and Jude's wedding a year ago, events that Layla is responsible for.

I immediately wanted to know what had happened at the wedding but author Nikki Smith keeps the reader in suspense, drip-feeding us little snippets of information to feed our curiosity. And then, just at the perfect moment, there's a whisper of something else, this time involving Nate and Jude and far more sinister. It soon becomes clear that the four friends are all harbouring secrets, that they have very weak morals and self-preservation is the only thing they care about. The underlying tension between the women in particular is palpable and the desperation from everyone to keep their secrets hidden becomes a vicious spiral, dragging them deeper and deeper into despair. Friendships hang in the balance as each person looks to protect their own interests, simply not caring for the impact it will have on others, leading to masterly plot twists.

As the conclusion approached all of the secrets were finally revealed. The brilliant writing which slowly exposed each misdeed meant that I wasn't rooting for any of the characters as they'd proved themselves to be so narcissistic and untrustworthy. While some received fitting punishments, others escaped, but you get a sense that karma is waiting in the wings.

They Had It Coming by Nikki Smith will be published on 15th May 2025 in ebook and audio format while the paperback will be published on 22nd May 2025. My thanks to NetGalley and Viking for a review copy.

Author Details

Nikki Smith worked in finance until 2017, when a 'now or never' moment prompted her to apply for the Curtis Brown Creative writing course. She is the author of five novels and the co-host of the podcast In Suspense. She lives in Guildford with her family and loves to travel, ideally somewhere hot and sunny.