Heat Trap: A Short Story by Ellery Lloyd

A vacation in the French countryside turns sinister in a twisty short story of manipulation and revenge among friends.

Yet again, Lizzie has taken on the task of organising the annual summer getaway in France for her longtime friend group. After all, she’s got the time: The others are married, with families and high-powered jobs, while Lizzie is a perpetually single personal assistant. This year, though, she’s excited to show off her charming new boyfriend, Mal. While the holiday group chat buzzes with questions for Lizzie, Mal stays quiet, but once they gather at the château, he’s all charisma—even as dangerous mishaps begin to mount. The guests begin to realise that one of their number has his or her own sinister reasons for joining this year’s trip.

Kindle Edition, 96 pages

First published July 14, 2026

by Amazon Original Stories

3.5/5

Coming in at 96 pages, this is another quick read that packs a fair bit into a short space. Ellery Lloyd, the pen name for husband and wife duo Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, is a new to me author.  Which is why I grabbed this Read Now from netgalley.

As with anything this short, there usually isn't a lot of time to get to know each character in great depth. But in this case, I did get to know them fairly well and feel this could have made a great full length novel.  Told from a couple pov's there was secrets, suspense and twists I genuinely did not see coming. There is the mystery running throughout that built tension as this group dynamic starts to unravel.

The conclusion felt fitting, wrapping things up in a way that suited the length and tone of the story without feeling rushed. A solid pick if you want a quick, twisty read that delivers some good surprises along the way.

My thanks to Amazon Original for a digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.