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A review by tbr_ianna
A Death at the Party by Amy Stuart
2.0
A Death at the Party is told through Nadine’s POV over the course of a day as she gets ready and hosts a birthday celebration for her famous mother. As the day progresses, we learn through flashbacks and new information, that the people currently in her life are connected to her past.
This is a fast read, but for about 30%, I felt like Nadine just kept thinking the same things over and over, so you knew a bit of the mystery but I didn’t feel any tension.
The following kind of has spoilers -
The buildup was slow, and at first it felt like everyone’s a bit suspicious but then once the party was actually happening, no one was a really suspect anymore. All of these cringey characters were all of a sudden redeemable? All of their storylines were tied up so easily.
I enjoyed the twist revealed by the mother, and didn’t suspect that at all. Based on that, and the little crumbs revealed throughout the story, I thought there would be more of a twist at the end. Instead I felt left with a lot of questions and suspicions. Maybe that’s the point?
I wish we explored more of the dynamic between the past and present, like there was a bit more confrontation at the end. I didn’t find it believable that Nadine’s husband was so close with his friends and now neighbours, but he wasn’t involved? Maybe we could have benefited from other POVs.
Overall, this felt like a slow burn domestic thriller, but I was left wanting more tension and drama.
Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fast read, but for about 30%, I felt like Nadine just kept thinking the same things over and over, so you knew a bit of the mystery but I didn’t feel any tension.
The following kind of has spoilers -
The buildup was slow, and at first it felt like everyone’s a bit suspicious but then once the party was actually happening, no one was a really suspect anymore. All of these cringey characters were all of a sudden redeemable? All of their storylines were tied up so easily.
I enjoyed the twist revealed by the mother, and didn’t suspect that at all. Based on that, and the little crumbs revealed throughout the story, I thought there would be more of a twist at the end. Instead I felt left with a lot of questions and suspicions. Maybe that’s the point?
I wish we explored more of the dynamic between the past and present, like there was a bit more confrontation at the end. I didn’t find it believable that Nadine’s husband was so close with his friends and now neighbours, but he wasn’t involved? Maybe we could have benefited from other POVs.
Overall, this felt like a slow burn domestic thriller, but I was left wanting more tension and drama.
Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.