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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
A DEATH AT THE PARTY is a tense and intricately woven story set over the course of one day. The first scene details Nadine (our main character and narrator) standing over a dead body in her own basement while a hundred guests celebrate her mother's birthday in her home above. This birthday party marks another anniversary as well and Nadine has the past haunting her memories and swirling with secrets. Rest assured this is not a spoiler and is part of the official synopsis.
Needless to say, I felt that the story started off with a 'bang'. I liked the uniqueness of knowing the killer from the beginning as we weave through the story to find out who the victim is and why. The pool of potential victims grows as the story progresses with the author sharing bits and pieces of Nadine's past ensuring that the tension and suspense amplifies as the pages turn.
As the scene is set, we see the story takes place over the course of one day with three sections: morning, afternoon, evening. I liked that each section was in the present with short passages/memories from the past that gave context to the bigger picture of what led to the death at the party. I truly couldn't piece together how everything connected until the last few pages as it was revealed. This alone had me suspecting each character as the plot slowly unraveled.
A DEATH AT THE PARTY is easily bingeable due to its short chapters, making it a relatively quick read. My biggest annoyance, you could say, with my experience was that I found the main character to be tiresome. Nadine is constantly being questioned by other characters about whether she is okay and there's several references to an accident that happened months prior that 'shook her head loose'. I can see how this would amplify her unreliability, but I generally found her to be annoying because of it.
Overall, I really enjoyed my first experience with Amy Stuart's work and will likely dive into her backlist to see what else she's written!
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.
Needless to say, I felt that the story started off with a 'bang'. I liked the uniqueness of knowing the killer from the beginning as we weave through the story to find out who the victim is and why. The pool of potential victims grows as the story progresses with the author sharing bits and pieces of Nadine's past ensuring that the tension and suspense amplifies as the pages turn.
As the scene is set, we see the story takes place over the course of one day with three sections: morning, afternoon, evening. I liked that each section was in the present with short passages/memories from the past that gave context to the bigger picture of what led to the death at the party. I truly couldn't piece together how everything connected until the last few pages as it was revealed. This alone had me suspecting each character as the plot slowly unraveled.
A DEATH AT THE PARTY is easily bingeable due to its short chapters, making it a relatively quick read. My biggest annoyance, you could say, with my experience was that I found the main character to be tiresome. Nadine is constantly being questioned by other characters about whether she is okay and there's several references to an accident that happened months prior that 'shook her head loose'. I can see how this would amplify her unreliability, but I generally found her to be annoying because of it.
Overall, I really enjoyed my first experience with Amy Stuart's work and will likely dive into her backlist to see what else she's written!
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.
mysterious
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:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This isn’t my usual genre, but one that I don’t mind dipping into every now and again. The protagonist is kind of unbearable, but the breadcrumbs led me down the path at an increasing pace. It’s perfectly intriguing and I found myself so invested in how the story would play out. What’s really intriguing is that we know there’s a death - it’s in the title! and it’s the focal point of the first chapter! - but due to several troubling threads woven throughout the story, we don’t know whose death it is until closer to the end. This is not a whodunit, but more like a whoitdunto. Unique!
dark
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Nadine is preparing a party for her mother's 60th birthday. But this day is also the 30th death anniversary of her aunt, Colleen, who died during a party like this one. Will someone else die today?
I skimmed most of this. It started off strong, but it quickly became boring. This was not a thriller, the burn was too slow and the pacing is weak. The premise of the story was great, but it fell really flat. I did not relate to the main character, who basically runs errands to prepare for the party for the entire first half of the book... There was a murder in the prologue, and then we go back to know what lead up to it. This was not for me.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I skimmed most of this. It started off strong, but it quickly became boring. This was not a thriller, the burn was too slow and the pacing is weak. The premise of the story was great, but it fell really flat. I did not relate to the main character, who basically runs errands to prepare for the party for the entire first half of the book... There was a murder in the prologue, and then we go back to know what lead up to it. This was not for me.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
mysterious
tense
slow-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
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm glad it was a short book, around 250 pages, because I wasn't drawn to pick up this book very much. It was a very slow burn and I'm not sure if it was because of how odd the birthday party was given the scenario with what happened at the last one 30 years ago, all the errands we followed the MC on in a short few hour span or how unlikeable the MC was but it took me a while to read.
The lead up for the entire book to the actual party was not overly exciting in the end and the ending felt somewhat predictable.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU1g3assR1/?img_index=1
https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU1g3assR1/?img_index=1
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes