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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Fast and easy to read domestic thriller… with short chapters (always a bonus!)
I like that this book is told in reverse and over the course of a single day - we ‘see’ the murder in the prologue, and need to figure out who died… and why.
The FMC is unreliable and not really likeable - though none of the characters are likeable really. Fairly typical of a domestic thriller, so that element is well done.
This book is a bit slow at first, but it will have you trying to sift through the information for clues. While predictable in the end, the story does pick and is an overall enjoyable read. It’s a good book for those looking for a ‘beach read’ type thriller
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A Death at the Party is a domestic thriller, a fast-paced read that covers the usual arc: affairs, long-held family secrets, and of course, murder.
The story opens at the party (no surprise given the title) with Nadine, the hostess with the mostest, watching life ebb away from a man on the floor of her bathroom. He’s begging her to help him, but she refuses, walks away, and rejoins the party upstairs. But who is this man?
Next, we are taken back to the morning of that same day; Nadine wants tonight’s birthday party for her mother, Marilyn, to go perfectly and has a huge task list for all friends and family members.
Marilyn is turning 60, and she’s a famous murder mystery novelist who struck it big when Nadine was a teenager. They continue to live close to each other, but on a personal level, they're perhaps not as close as the picture-perfect picture portrays - secrets linger aplenty. Particularly concerning to Nadine is the death of Marilyn’s younger sister Colleen many years ago. There's nothing as tangled in webs of lies as families, right?
But they're not the only ones with secrets; in fact, Nadine's alone are considerable, and many men around her are potentially out to hurt her in some way, but as the day progresses and the party plans come together, we determine who the night’s murder victim is going to be.
With short tantalising chapters, A Death at the Party is easy to binge-read and would make an excellent poolside pick, but it felt too stereotyped, too predictable and overall fell a little flat for me.
Fans of B.A Paris, Lucy Foley and books of that style are bound to devour this one. 3⭐
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this advance review copy in return for an, as always, honest review.
The story opens at the party (no surprise given the title) with Nadine, the hostess with the mostest, watching life ebb away from a man on the floor of her bathroom. He’s begging her to help him, but she refuses, walks away, and rejoins the party upstairs. But who is this man?
Next, we are taken back to the morning of that same day; Nadine wants tonight’s birthday party for her mother, Marilyn, to go perfectly and has a huge task list for all friends and family members.
Marilyn is turning 60, and she’s a famous murder mystery novelist who struck it big when Nadine was a teenager. They continue to live close to each other, but on a personal level, they're perhaps not as close as the picture-perfect picture portrays - secrets linger aplenty. Particularly concerning to Nadine is the death of Marilyn’s younger sister Colleen many years ago. There's nothing as tangled in webs of lies as families, right?
But they're not the only ones with secrets; in fact, Nadine's alone are considerable, and many men around her are potentially out to hurt her in some way, but as the day progresses and the party plans come together, we determine who the night’s murder victim is going to be.
With short tantalising chapters, A Death at the Party is easy to binge-read and would make an excellent poolside pick, but it felt too stereotyped, too predictable and overall fell a little flat for me.
Fans of B.A Paris, Lucy Foley and books of that style are bound to devour this one. 3⭐
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this advance review copy in return for an, as always, honest review.
Ummm idk how I feel about this book honestly. I enjoyed the details that were included in what would be a regular ‘mundane’ life, it gave a lot of insight into Nadine’s life and who she is. I appreciated the family dynamic, although honestly some things just didn’t even make sense, like Nadine’s cheating, her thinking her husband isn’t as involved - cuz I really liked him.
I think I like it better when things occur over a course of some time rather than her solving everything in one day. Her actions at the end with Teddy didn’t seem to align with her character, considering what we knew of her past.
An okay read but wasn’t too exciting.
I think I like it better when things occur over a course of some time rather than her solving everything in one day. Her actions at the end with Teddy didn’t seem to align with her character, considering what we knew of her past.
An okay read but wasn’t too exciting.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The story begins with the narrator, Nadine, feeling for a pulse as the victim lies dying. There is no clue as to who the victim might be, except that the person is male. By about a third of the way through I had already identified four men as the possible victim. I then started to doubt whether Nadine had in fact murdered someone, or did she just discover the person? The possibilities were almost endless.
The present day action takes place on a single day, the day of the party. Nadine is throwing a 60th birthday party at her home for her mother, a famous author. But there’s a lot of backstory to be told, both from Nadine’s childhood, her more recent history, and stuff going on in her two teenage children’s lives.
Nadine is a complex character, a bit unstable mentally, and she has a suspicious nature. I started to become as suspicious as her as secrets and partial secrets are revealed. I came up with some weird and wonderful theories, as the morsels of secrets are drip-fed to us along the way. A few red herrings, too, I feel. I was thoroughly gripped, while at the same time cogitating my own theories.
Despite my overactive imagination trying to work out the final revelation, I failed to get it right!
slow-paced
I really love the cover and the title of this book. I usually quite enjoy books that begin with a murder and I was hoping for something similar to The Guest List by Lucy Foley. This opening line gave me hope "It takes some digging to locate a pulse" but unfortunately it went downhill from there.
The rest of the book takes place over the course of the day of the party, with Nadine and a seemingly never ending cast of side characters running last minute errands. The plot stagnates as it's mired down with minutia and couldn't seem to move forward. I almost gave up on the book when at 77% Nadine is still faffing around in tshirt and leggings when the party is almost about to start.
I don't think it helped that Nadine isn't a particularly endearing character. She has a supposedly happy marriage but cheats on her husband. So I couldn't root for her at all. Other side characters aren't given a voice so there was no connection there either.
When the twist came at the end I felt it was messy and rushed. It was a good twist but it left me feeling unsatisfied.
So I don't think I would recommend this book or read from this author again. I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to read and review.
The rest of the book takes place over the course of the day of the party, with Nadine and a seemingly never ending cast of side characters running last minute errands. The plot stagnates as it's mired down with minutia and couldn't seem to move forward. I almost gave up on the book when at 77% Nadine is still faffing around in tshirt and leggings when the party is almost about to start.
I don't think it helped that Nadine isn't a particularly endearing character. She has a supposedly happy marriage but cheats on her husband. So I couldn't root for her at all. Other side characters aren't given a voice so there was no connection there either.
When the twist came at the end I felt it was messy and rushed. It was a good twist but it left me feeling unsatisfied.
So I don't think I would recommend this book or read from this author again. I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to read and review.
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A birthday garden party that goes awry.. I'm in! Every party has that one moment when everything goes wrong.
This suspenseful novel is set over the course of the day with our main character having flashbacks to her past. From her memories, tidbits are revealed that are all relevant to the present day and are vital into the connection revealed at the end.
Although a good story, I did feel it was a little bit long-winded, and it took some time actually getting to the nitty gritty of the story.
I did enjoy the whodunnit, all the secrets, and trying to decipher each character and the reasons behind their potential motives. It was one that definitely got me thinking.
Overall, I would recommend it for a quick mystery fix.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the gifted copy.
This suspenseful novel is set over the course of the day with our main character having flashbacks to her past. From her memories, tidbits are revealed that are all relevant to the present day and are vital into the connection revealed at the end.
Although a good story, I did feel it was a little bit long-winded, and it took some time actually getting to the nitty gritty of the story.
I did enjoy the whodunnit, all the secrets, and trying to decipher each character and the reasons behind their potential motives. It was one that definitely got me thinking.
Overall, I would recommend it for a quick mystery fix.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the gifted copy.