This was a solid, classic thriller. I would have liked more to have happened as a lot was just drama that didn't directly move the plot. But there were still some good twists and lots of mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley, A.A. Chaudhuri & Hera Books for an arc of The Final Party in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

This story revolves around 6 friends who gather in Italy for a 40th birthday celebration. Soon enough, one of them is dead and another starts getting ominous messages that they are going to reveal the secrets of what the group of friends did while they were in college.

Lots of lies, hysteria, suspense, drama. This was a solid 4 star read for me. It wasn’t really a new idea. I’ve seen this trope countless times before. The characters were not that likable and at times downright insufferable. However, the suspense was great and it was a well-written book that kept me intrigued and at a fairly quick pace.

The Final Party is a page-turning thriller that follows three couples to Sorrento, Italy to celebrate a 40th birthday. I absolutely loved the setting, and the author did a great job alternating chapters between all six characters. In addition to being told through multiple POVs, the story was also told through dual time frames. While the majority of the group had been close during university, they have now grown apart. Vanessa, for her 40th, wants nothing more than to reunite the group and, maybe, share some long hidden secrets. While Vanessa wants to clear the air, there are some in the group that would do anything to keep those secrets buried. As the story progresses, truths are revealed, relationships are questioned, and the police are called.

As I said before, I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and the concept was definitely interesting. I didn't find the characters particularly relatable or likable. Some of the "big secret" also seemed pretty far-fetched. Finally, the ending was rushed and confusing. I actually had to go back and reread the last few pages/chapters to make sure I understood how everything fit together. Overall, it was a pretty fast read and a decent thriller.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I want to thank her and Hera Books for allowing me to read it for review!

When it first started, it gave me White Lotus vibes. The setting and the vacation…definitely reminded me of that. The fact they were alone and not at a resort made that fade just a little as it went on.

It’s a story of how much the weight of secrets and lies can control and ruin lives.

I feel like it was a little slow and I didn’t notice much change in how each of the characters spoke. Each chapter was a different POV, but they all sounded like the same person to me for the most part, which didn’t really bother me but I know some people really want a lot of differentiation between the voices of characters.

I did enjoy the story and I was very interested in knowing exactly what happened and who else knew that was possibly outside the friend group.

A few of the characters were pretty horrible people, but they were meant to be, so she wrote them well.

I wasn’t necessarily on the edge of my seat, but I did stay very interested. It could have been a little faster-paced throughout. You didn’t really start finding anything out until halfway through and then it did start to pick up. I wouldn’t say I was on pins and needles, but I did want to finish to find a resolution.

There were a few shocking moments. A few I did sort of suspect, but a couple that I didn’t.

Overall, I thought it was a good book! It kept me interested and it was a good story about how secrets and lies can cause bigger issues than if you’d just been honest with people.

📚 Book review 📚
The Final Party - A.A.Chaudhuri
4.5/5

Six friends all with secrets go away on holiday for a birthday bash which ends up being a tense getaway for all of them once their secrets are threatened to be revealed.
What a mind twister 🤯 It took me a few chapters to get used to all the characters at the start but once I did I was already hooked on the story. This really does keep you guessing and trying to figure out who did what all the way through, right up until the end. I had figured out one or two but not all. Quite a few chapters ended on a cliffhanger making me want to read the next and the next. I would recommend this if you enjoy thrillers with twists or any of @A.A.Chaudhuri books.

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Great thriller which is set in Sorrento in southern Italy fantastic setting for this book. Old uni friend set off on holiday where secrets will be spilled. It is told by different perspectives and flips from the uni days back to present day. So many secrets so many twists and turns and the ending with the final twist was excellent did not see that coming at all. Will definitely be recommending this book fantastic thriller.

"The Final Party" by A.A. Chaudhuri is a gripping psychological thriller that transports readers to the luxurious town of Sorrento in southern Italy.

So, three couples head off to Sorrento to celebrate Ness's birthday. But, as it turns out, they're not just any old group of friends - they're all linked by some pretty juicy secrets from their past.

This thriller had me hooked from the start, despite the slow initial pace. And what a payoff it is - I never saw that twist coming! The tension between the characters was palpable and I was fully immersed in the story. I could feel the intensity of the trip and the events that unfolded.

Chaudhuri's writing style is vivid and descriptive, bringing the characters and setting to life.

Thank you to Hera and NetGalley for this advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nerve racking, fast paced, beautiful writing. This book has everything I could ever ask in a murder mystery. The tension was palpable, it gave me anxiety (in a good way). Complex plot and characters. This book definitely accomplishes what it’s suppose to.
I couldn’t put it down, I was incredibly invested in the plot and the secrets. An end I never saw coming.
I would highly recommend this books for everyone who like the genre and I can’t wait to read more from Chaudhuri.

So I often find these "old friends reunite and past secrets are exposed and someone ends up dead" can be a bit repetitive and samey but I absolutely loved this one!

It starts off with a bang and then slows down a bit until the tension and pace are remped up again as you get further into the story.

It has multiple povs and to be honest, I can't say I was keen on any of the characters or their povs but I always like to think it's a sign of good writing when an author can make you strongly dislike people who don't exist! Although they are mainy hateful, they're well written and brought to life. They are who they are and they're original and unique.

As I said at the start, this is quite a common plot at the moment but this book threw in twists I absolutely did not see coming! No matter how many reunion books you may have read, this one is stoll unqie and sets itsself apart from a lot of the others . If you're going ti read just one of these type stories, this would be a really good option to go with

"The Final Party" by A.A. Chaudhuri is an intense psychological thriller that takes place in the glamorous town of Sorrento, southern Italy.

The book follows three couples and their interactions with each other, which are influenced by their toxic past. Padma and Nick, Vanessa and Marcus, and Lana and Johnny go on vacation to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of them. All except Marcus are old university friends bound by terrible events. A shared secret foreshadows their lives, keeps them entwined in each other’s lives, and poisons their relationships. Pretty soon, the perfect vacation turned into the vacation from hell when one of them receives anonymous messages threatening to expose their secret and tensions are high. The vacation then takes a turn for the worse when their lives start to unravel, and the truth is leaking out.

I loved the book, but it started a bit slow for me. Although it starts with a bang – a body no less – it slows down soon after. The author flooded us with an overstuffed buffet of repetitious details and internal reflections which should be trimmed down. The chapters were long and packed, and I found it hard to connect (or like) with any of the characters. Most of them were insufferable and full of poor excuses for their behaviors (past and present). It was very readable, though, and this is why I pushed through. Once I got past the slow start, the book really started to take off for me.

The story is told from multiple POVs and bounces back and forth between different time frames. Each chapter is clearly labeled with the characters' names and timetables. There are a lot of twists and turns that will leave you spinning. The unreliable characters and the lies uncovered add to the suspense. The secret was a bit predictable, but the author succeeded in blind-sided me with twists I didn't see coming.

Don't let the slow start discourage you. The book became better and better the more you read. After a dubious beginning, this ended up being a great read, and I quite enjoyed it. That's why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The author weaves together a unique book with plenty of twists to keep you hooked up. I would recommend this book as a good read and would definitely read any further books written by this author.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. Boy oh boy this one was such a page turner! So many twists and lies. I absolutely loved everything about this book, down to the 3 couples we have. 6 best friends who are all tied together under difference circumstances that keeps the reader guessing and slowly but surely the truth comes to light. I would have finished in one sitting but as usual life gets in the way. I've been in a slump too and this helped a lot. I highly recommend anyone who loves lies and twists to give this one a try, very much drama filled. Personally up to this point, this is probably been the best action packed book I've had from here.

First book I have read by A.A. Chaudhuri, and it certainly won’t be the last. The story completely sucks you in, with all the various twists and turns, and the characters were all drawn beautifully. I started this book on a Friday, and spent most of the weekend trying to get periods of rest, so that I could continue reading. The final denouement was superb. Highly recommended.

A beautifully plotted and engaging thriller, the setting for the story - Sorrento in summer added to the claustrophobia of the novel perfectly. The characters were well drawn and complex apart from Padma who was one dimensional - the others were developed in an engaging way throughout the novel. The plot was strong if a little incredulous at times but it certainly kept me turning the pages. Really enjoyed this novel and will search out more by this author.

An autobiy author for me who once again did not disappoint. Coyples travel to Sorrento for a vacation and dark secrets come out. Compulsively readable and inventive. Flawlessly paced and the ending ea snot predictable. Wonderful.

I finished ✔️ The Final Party by A.A. Chaudhuri and truly enjoyed this thriller. 🤩
4 ⭐️’s
Publish Day: May 25th, 2023
Kindle Unlimited: No
Six friends, one body, countless lies
Fast-paced twisty, suspenseful thriller
Compelling, accomplished, & atmospheric
Takes place in Italy 🇮🇹
I didn’t see any of the twists coming
Beautifully & brilliantly written
It’s my first book by A.A. Chaudhuri but won’t be my last
Yes, I’d recommend
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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher fir my copy of this book.

6 friends, 3 couples jet off to Italy for Ness’s fortieth birthday week. They are living it up in a luxury villa. Everyone has secrets, related to their time at university. Some people want to confess…

Trying hard to give nothing away!

Wow, this book! It was told by each of the characters on different chapters, and flips from the uni days back to present day. Little by little we learn the secrets that everyone is fighting to keep. I loved how everything was teased out. The final twist I never saw coming.

Loved this book, highly recommend.

A great thriller

Six from head to Italy for one of their friends 40th birthday. Things from the past bring with tension and jealous between the friends and their trip.

This is a great thriller. We get everyone POVs from present and the past. You feel like you can trust certain people and then the book goes and does a 180.

You don’t guess the twist at the end which is always a win in my book. You can feel the tension between the characters and really feel what is going on during this trip.

Definitely will be reading this authors back catalogue

This reminded me of another reunion type novel I read recently - Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger. It’s an interesting concept and I like the way it allows the author to explore multiple characters in some depth, while also tying them back to a shared plot line. An enjoyable book.

Loved the concept of this story but I had a hard time enjoying it fully because it felt relative. Loved the characters. I couldn’t predict what was to happen next.

This was a real page-turner! The Final Party introduces us to three couples who are longtime friends and get together at a fabulous Italian villa to celebrate a 40th birthday. We know from the start that someone ends up dead but have to wait until the end to find out who and why. Of course, everyone is hiding one secret or another.

I enjoyed this book and it definitely held my interest, although there was a LOT of foreshadowing about the different secrets that somewhat distracted from the narrative flow. I loved the descriptions of the fancy villa and of Sorrento--I could easily imagine myself there (although hopefully with a lot less drama).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!