
Under the Palms
A Novel (The Kingsleys, Book 2)
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $20.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
By:
-
Kaira Rouda
About this listen
During a weekend retreat, a powerful family plays a dangerous game of dark secrets and cold-blooded ambition in a novel by Kaira Rouda, USA Today bestselling author of Beneath the Surface.
Under the direction of the Kingsleys’ new president, Paige, the family has gathered for a weekend retreat at a luxurious Laguna Beach resort.
Still clinging to the hope of succession are the sons of Richard Kingsley, the family patriarch and CEO: John, the oldest, who’s clawed his way back from a dark tragedy, and Paige’s estranged husband, Ted, the golden boy. When Richard’s ex and his wayward daughter join the fray, Paige finds herself with two fast allies. They know a secret that could shatter the family legacy. Call it leverage, call it revenge, the Kingsley women believe they have the upper hand.
But as the power games begin, greater threats than the howling Santa Ana winds are coming. Because this weekend, amid so much greed and betrayal, no Kingsley is safe. It’s family. Watch your back.
©2024 Kaira Sturdivant Rouda. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Beneath the Surface
- A Novel (The Kingsleys, Book 1)
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: James Anderson Foster, Cynthia Farrell, Patrick Lawlor, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win. Then Richard’s estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She’s the least of the night’s surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion.
-
-
Twisted family!
- By Paula M. Williams on 05-22-24
By: Kaira Rouda
-
The Next Wife
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing, Teri Clark Linden, Stephen Graybill, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kate Nelson had it all. A flourishing company founded with her husband, John; a happy marriage; and a daughter, Ashlyn. The picture-perfect family. Until John left for another woman. Tish is half his age. Ambitious. She’s cultivated a friendship with Ashlyn. Tish believes she’s won. She’s wrong.
-
-
Skip it
- By SB on 05-01-21
By: Kaira Rouda
-
The Widow
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Donna Postel, George Newbern, Nancy Wu
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jody Asher had a plan. Her charismatic husband, Martin, would be a political icon. She, the charming wife, would fuel his success. For fifteen congressional terms, they were the golden couple on the Hill. Life was good. Until he wasn’t. Martin’s secret affair with a young staffer doesn’t bother Jody personally. But professionally? It’s a legacy killer. Soon a reporter gets word of this scandal in the making, and Martin’s indiscretions threaten to ruin everything Jody has accomplished.
-
-
It was just okay
- By Mary on 02-26-23
By: Kaira Rouda
-
Somebody's Home
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Anita Kalathara, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Julie Jones has left her suffocating marriage. With her teenage daughter, Jess, she’s starting over. Their new house in Oceanside is the first step toward a new life. Even if it does come with the unexpected. The previous owners, a pastor and his wife, have left something - or rather someone - behind. Tom Dean has a bitter hatred for the father who considers him a lost cause, and for the woman who’s moved into their family’s house. The only home he’s ever known. He’s never going to leave. She thinks he’ll be gone in three days, but Tom has the perfect plan.
-
-
Another social justice narrative.
- By Nikole on 03-07-22
By: Kaira Rouda
-
Wife, Mother, Liar
- By: Sue Watson
- Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard, Bronwen Price
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wife: I couldn’t be prouder of my charming husband and quiet and kind son. I’ve poured everything into my little family, so I choose to ignore my husband’s late-night phone calls and wandering eye. I won’t let anything ruin my perfect life…
-
-
Two Families Best of Friends or True Enemies
- By Lulu Dx on 03-22-25
By: Sue Watson
-
Ask for Andrea
- By: Noelle Ihli
- Narrated by: Allison Delaney
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common. They were all murdered by the same man. He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves. He’s gotten away with murder three times now. The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered. Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him. The haunt is on.
-
-
Definitely deserves five stars.
- By DoggyMama on 09-08-22
By: Noelle Ihli
-
Beneath the Surface
- A Novel (The Kingsleys, Book 1)
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: James Anderson Foster, Cynthia Farrell, Patrick Lawlor, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win. Then Richard’s estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She’s the least of the night’s surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion.
-
-
Twisted family!
- By Paula M. Williams on 05-22-24
By: Kaira Rouda
-
The Next Wife
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing, Teri Clark Linden, Stephen Graybill, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kate Nelson had it all. A flourishing company founded with her husband, John; a happy marriage; and a daughter, Ashlyn. The picture-perfect family. Until John left for another woman. Tish is half his age. Ambitious. She’s cultivated a friendship with Ashlyn. Tish believes she’s won. She’s wrong.
-
-
Skip it
- By SB on 05-01-21
By: Kaira Rouda
-
The Widow
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Donna Postel, George Newbern, Nancy Wu
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jody Asher had a plan. Her charismatic husband, Martin, would be a political icon. She, the charming wife, would fuel his success. For fifteen congressional terms, they were the golden couple on the Hill. Life was good. Until he wasn’t. Martin’s secret affair with a young staffer doesn’t bother Jody personally. But professionally? It’s a legacy killer. Soon a reporter gets word of this scandal in the making, and Martin’s indiscretions threaten to ruin everything Jody has accomplished.
-
-
It was just okay
- By Mary on 02-26-23
By: Kaira Rouda
-
Somebody's Home
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Anita Kalathara, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Julie Jones has left her suffocating marriage. With her teenage daughter, Jess, she’s starting over. Their new house in Oceanside is the first step toward a new life. Even if it does come with the unexpected. The previous owners, a pastor and his wife, have left something - or rather someone - behind. Tom Dean has a bitter hatred for the father who considers him a lost cause, and for the woman who’s moved into their family’s house. The only home he’s ever known. He’s never going to leave. She thinks he’ll be gone in three days, but Tom has the perfect plan.
-
-
Another social justice narrative.
- By Nikole on 03-07-22
By: Kaira Rouda
-
Wife, Mother, Liar
- By: Sue Watson
- Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard, Bronwen Price
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wife: I couldn’t be prouder of my charming husband and quiet and kind son. I’ve poured everything into my little family, so I choose to ignore my husband’s late-night phone calls and wandering eye. I won’t let anything ruin my perfect life…
-
-
Two Families Best of Friends or True Enemies
- By Lulu Dx on 03-22-25
By: Sue Watson
-
Ask for Andrea
- By: Noelle Ihli
- Narrated by: Allison Delaney
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common. They were all murdered by the same man. He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves. He’s gotten away with murder three times now. The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered. Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him. The haunt is on.
-
-
Definitely deserves five stars.
- By DoggyMama on 09-08-22
By: Noelle Ihli
-
Pike Island
- A Thriller
- By: Tony Wirt
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Samara Naeymi
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What happens at the cabin stays at the cabin. Right? Andrew Harrison “Harry” Leonard is destined for politics. Getting his start on the Rochester City Council, he quickly rose to become the youngest representative in Congress. Now the up-and-comer from Minnesota is on the brink of something big. If all goes well, he’ll be in perfect position to aim for the presidency.
-
-
Mediocre and unoriginal with good narration
- By Kay on 05-27-25
By: Tony Wirt
-
Everybody Is a Liar
- By: Liv Constantine
- Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik, Saskia Maarleveld, Shayr Guthrie, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Julie Buckley, a successful mystery writer, suspects her husband of cheating, she turns to her best friend, Darby, for advice. When Darby suggests couples therapy, Julie and Oliver find themselves discussing Oliver’s betrayal with their new therapist, Liza. Liza is competent and reassuring, and her advice and Oliver’s openness to change seem to be helping the couple rebuild their relationship.
-
-
The only thing annoying is that I was duped into buying this.
- By mossilini on 02-17-25
By: Liv Constantine
-
The Second Mrs Strom
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Nick Landrum, Laurence Bouvard
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I don’t want the perfect marriage. I want revenge… If you had met me a year ago, you wouldn’t have noticed me. A beautiful woman, but a struggling nobody in a tiny apartment, invisible… Meeting Paul changed that. And now here I am in Paris, after a whirlwind courtship and a stunning beach proposal I smile at my handsome husband, my eyes shining in the candlelight, my huge diamond ring sparkling on the starched white tablecloth. Other women look at me in envy. They see a couple completely in love.
-
-
The predatory Mrs Strom
- By alderson on 05-28-25
By: Kaira Rouda
-
The Sublet
- A Short Story
- By: Greer Hendricks
- Narrated by: Karissa Vacker
- Length: 1 hr and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anne is barely keeping it together. A frazzled ghostwriter and aspiring novelist, she juggles nine-year-old twins and a listless marriage from an overcrowded Manhattan apartment, spreading herself thinner each day. Just as Anne is about to give up on her dreams, she lands her biggest client yet: Melody Wells. Melody paints a picture of serenity and empowerment in the lavender haze of her visualization workshops—however, the one thing she can’t manifest are the pages her publisher is demanding for her new motivational book. Enter Anne.
-
-
A crammed mess
- By ALR on 04-02-25
By: Greer Hendricks
-
Parents Weekend
- A Novel
- By: Alex Finlay
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up at dinner.
-
-
Alex Has Done It Again!
- By CL on 05-13-25
By: Alex Finlay
-
What the Nanny Saw
- Family Secrets
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Laurence Bouvard, Madeline Pell
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cecilia has it all. The house on the beach. The cute figure. The beautiful baby. But she’s a long way from perfect. She’s let me into her gorgeous house as her nanny because now she’s on her own, she needs a little help with her baby daughter Peyton. She barely notices me. But I see everything. While Peyton naps, I rifle through her drawers and discover the dark secrets in her past, the threatening letter from her ex-husband. It's a shame that Cecilia doesn’t have my powers of observation. If she took some time, she might just recognise me. I’ve been following her for a while, after all.
-
-
No one can be trusted.
- By AJ Holmes on 05-07-25
By: Kaira Rouda
-
Gone Again
- A Thriller
- By: Minka Kent
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt, Gabra Zackman
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On her fortieth birthday, Celia Guest has reason to celebrate. She has a loving marriage, a beautiful Connecticut home, and treasured friends. Celia has everything she’s ever wanted. But among the cards and well-wishes, she discovers a disturbing note: You don’t deserve any of this. Who could be so cruel, so resentful, so…knowing? Then, in the early morning hours, Celia vanishes without a trace.
-
-
Nothing really happens
- By A reader on 04-11-23
By: Minka Kent
-
Very Bad Company
- A Novel
- By: Emma Rosenblum
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every year, executives at the trendy tech startup Aurora gather the company’s top employees for an exclusive retreat in Miami, and this year Caitlin Levy—Aurora’s newest hire—is joining the team as head of events. The benefits are outstanding: a seven-figure salary, stock shares, a discretionary bonus, limitless vacation days—what could possibly go wrong?
-
-
A bad company indeed
- By Sergio Roden1 on 05-17-24
By: Emma Rosenblum
-
The Perfect Escape
- By: Daniel Hurst
- Narrated by: Laura Brydon, Dan Bottomley, Deirdra Whelan, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the year Aidan and I have had, we needed some respite. My husband is overworked, whilst I'm anxious about the past, so renting a night at this converted barn house in the countryside seems like the perfect place for the pair of us to relax and unwind. It might be situated at the bottom of a large garden, but it's private enough that we don't have to mingle with the homeowners who live nearby. Or at least that's what I thought . . .
-
-
Meh
- By Tawny on 04-19-24
By: Daniel Hurst
-
The Favorite Daughter
- By: Kaira Rouda
- Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jane Harris lives in a sparkling home in an oceanfront gated community in Orange County. It’s a place that seems too beautiful to be touched by sadness. But exactly one year ago, Jane’s oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident, and Jane has been grief-stricken ever since. Lost in a haze of antidepressants, she’s barely even left the house. Now, that’s all about to change.
-
-
Must Read and/or Listen!!!
- By Sandy O'Neil on 05-24-19
By: Kaira Rouda
-
The Perfect Getaway
- By: Kiersten Modglin
- Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann, Janina Edwards
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was the trip of a lifetime…until someone ended up dead. When four couples receive invitations to try out a luxury island resort, they are excited for a week of relaxation and reconnecting.
-
-
Excellent!
- By KKEC Reads on 07-05-22
By: Kiersten Modglin
-
A Killing Cold
- A Novel
- By: Kate Alice Marshall
- Narrated by: Karissa Vacker
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Theodora Scott met Connor—wealthy, charming, and a member of the powerful Dalton family—she fell in love in an instant. Six months later, he’s brought her to Idlewood, his family’s isolated winter retreat, to win over his skeptical relatives. Stay away from Connor Dalton.Theo has tried to ignore the threatening messages on her phone, but she can’t ignore the footprints in the snow outside the cabin window or the strange sense of familiarity she has about this place. Then, in a disused cabin, Theo finds something impossible: a photo of herself as a child. A photo taken at Idlewood.
-
-
Not as much Twists as other reviews say
- By Jordan Aguilera on 02-13-25
Critic reviews
“Rouda keeps the complications coming…Fans of lethal soap operas will be happy to know that a third season is on the way.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A well scripted novel of reader riveting psychological suspense…a provocative and absorbing read from start to finish. Singular, original, engaging, and exciting.” —Midwest Book Review
“Kaira Rouda writes with such a fresh, engaging voice—she pulled me into this story from page one! I loved everything about Under the Palms: the secrets, power games, over-the-top luxury and complex characters. If you're looking for a delicious read, you need to pick up this book!” —Sarah Pekkanen, New York Times bestselling author of House of Glass
The premise of a seemingly innocuous family weekend quickly transforms into a tense, suspenseful ordeal. With this family, you're never certain of your standing—or your safety. Rouda masterfully keeps readers guessing, and the twists and turns left me on the edge of my seat throughout.
The story is fantastic, weaving intricate plots that build up to a jaw-dropping reveal. While I had my suspicions, the final outcome was a twist I never saw coming, proving once again Rouda's knack for the unexpected. Fans of the show "Succession" will find much to enjoy in this tale of power, betrayal, and the dark underbelly of family dynamics.
5 stars, even better than the first in the series!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The family is back and better than ever
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.