I loved this one! It was definately worthy of some JAW dropping moments. The Author was new for me and I would definately read again. I didn't love the ending, only complaint :)

Liz is fresh out of rehab and the last thing she needs is stress, so when her mom Claire picks her up with her new husband George Liz promises her self she will do her best to keep the peace and be the good daughter she hasn’t been in the past. It doesn’t help matters when her brother Liam refuses to even speak to her. When they arrive and George introduces his daughter Phaedra who also has a surprise, she two is newly married and introduces the group to her American husband Hudson. Liz, her mom and brother Liam cannot get over the grand estate George has taken them to he first said it was just a crumbling cottage but the remote home they arrive that is more like a country estate. This isn’t their only surprise however that night at the wedding dinner to celebrate the two couples they get a surprise guest NH Declan the fatherless thought was deceased and as far as she knew he had been for the past five years but he’s there alive and well. He claims he is back to win the love of Claire and his children but Liz thinks it’s for other reasons. Since the house is so remote they decide to wait until morning and George will escort Declan back to civilization but By the time morning comes it will be too late at least for Declan it will. When they have a family meeting and agree they will bury Declan since he is already legally dead in Ireland that doesn’t stop Liz from wandering who killed him. The only ones who didn’t have a reason was Phaedra in Hudson. Liz cannot stop thinking about how she saw Liam When she woke up to get something to drink in the middle of the night go into the garden and come back with dirty hands and that isn’t the only strange thing she notices about her brother Liam then when she goes to walk around the grounds she hears George and the cook Mia arguing it seems Mia is blackmailing George and while she ease- drops George is far from the easy-going golly Gee stepdad she has come to know. this book is a doozy of a thriller and although I didn’t understand how ultimately it seems Liz started running the show even though in the beginning they acted as if due to her previous drug and alcohol addiction she had no credibility maybe that means nothing but it was just something I noticed. I love thrillers and this is a pretty good one I also love books by the author and I will be honest and say I didn’t like this one as much as I liked her previous works it’s still is a thrilling re-packed with surprises and oh so many secrets. I received this book from Bookoucher I Netgalley but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Wow, thank you NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Party, so I could have the opportunity to read a fantastic story by another author I had not yet discovered until now! Great read with wonderful storyline that kept me guessing and intrigued. I am thrilled to add this author to my list of favorites!

A perfect night...a perfect crime...

Reading back at the premise, I'm not sure why I requested it as it didn't really speak volumes to me nor is it by an author I am familiar with. Despite this, I dived in with an open mind ready for whatever it threw at me.

Lizzie is fresh out of rehab after an accident drink driving in which she injured her younger brother Liam and is now working on getting her life back together after the death of her father Declan. Her mother Claire picks her up in a rental van alongside new hubby George and her brother who is barely speaking to her after his brush with death with Lizzie at the helm.

Anyway, the family head to a remote area in County Mayo where George has a crumbling cottage of sorts that has been under renovation for a number of decades. However, it turns out Butler Manor is anything but a cottage. More like a stately home...a crumbling and decrepit one, but stately and vast all the same. But there is a catch. It is in the middle of nowhere with no mobile phone reception, no WiFi signal and no landline. What could possibly go wrong?

When they finally arrive at the house, they are greeted by George's grown daughter Freya who has a surprise of her own to share. It seems Claire and George are not the only honeymooners at Butler Manor this weekend. Freya has tied the knot with her American beau Hudson. And so the family set out to celebrate not one but two weddings.

And then...Claire's long dead husband Declan shows up. Well, he's supposed to be dead. In fact, he is legally dead. So what does that make him now if he is really alive? But he comes with one thing in mind - he wants Claire back, but does she want him back? And do Lizzie and Liam want their father back after all they put them through? After he supposedly took his own life to avoid facing justice for his own crimes.

But someone has other plans...deadly plans. So who of them won't get out alive?

This slow burn thriller will entertain many readers with its claustrophobic setting and kooky characters but I'm not sure I was all that invested in what was going on. It was certainly intriguing and it had promise...and I hate to rain on this parade...but I quickly lost interest. In the end, I skipped to the end and felt I didn't really miss out on much.

I would like to thank #TrionaWalsh, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheParty in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This has enough suspense to keep you hooked but overall the story was just ok for me. None of the characters were particularly likable. Storyline was a hot mess and very far fetched.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley.

Claire believed her first husband, Declan O'Shea, was dead. Five years later, she has moved on and is preparing to marry again. But on her wedding day, Declan reappears, claiming it was all a misunderstanding and that he won't let her go again.

As Claire and her family try to heal and move forward, Declan's return disrupts their newfound happiness. The once-perfect wedding celebration is shattered as Declan asserts his love for Claire and his determination to reclaim his family.

Amidst the chaos and confusion, Claire's loyalty and protective instincts are put to the test. She will do whatever it takes to safeguard her children and the life she has built. However, as shocking secrets emerge, Claire begins to question the trust she has placed in those she loves most.

Despite an intriguing premise that captured my interest from the start, this book fell short of my expectations as the story progressed. The unraveling of the plot left much to be desired, with characters lacking clear motivations for their actions. Furthermore, apart from the protagonist Lizzie, the supporting characters felt one-dimensional and failed to leave a lasting impact.

One aspect that added to my disappointment was the title's lack of coherence with the actual plot. It left me questioning the connection between the book's name and the unfolding events.

While the initial chapters showed promise, the overall execution of the story left me wanting more depth and development. The lack of compelling character motivations and the title's disconnect from the plot were notable drawbacks.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the read/review of #TheParty by #TrionaWalsh. This was a first time author for me an I was pretty impressed. The book was twisty and wild. Being secluded is a fear all in itself. Would recommend.

Thank you #Netgalley

Lizzie has been away in rehab after she got in an accident with her brother in the car while she was driving under the influence. Her life had been flipped upside down after her fathers death and the mess he left behind. Upon Lizzie's release, she is picked up by her brother, mother and mothers brand new husband (whom she barely knows). They are spending the weekend at George (new husbands) place where Lizzie gets to know him as well his daughter and her new husband. Lizzie is weary of the whole situation as it seems things progressed rather quickly. So on their first night when her father, who everyone had presumed as dead, appears out of nowhere, the weekend quickly goes wild. So many twists and turns, who can trust who....

Fresh from rehab, Lizzie travels with her mother Claire, brother Liam and new stepfather George to rural Ireland where they will celebrate this new couple days’ old wedding. The destination is Butler Hall, George’s ancestral home that he is renovating. It is isolated, located in a dense forest, accessible only by a long rutted drive. There’s no internet or cellphone service. (This is where the voice in your head is shouting “Bad idea! Turn around.” You would be right.) The family is joined by George’s daughter Freya and her new husband Hudson. They’ve flown from the United States to surprise him. Another surprise is Mia, the chef hired for the weekend. And the final shock is the appearance of Declan, Claire’s supposedly dead husband whose suicide five years earlier left his family nearly destitute.

As you might have guessed, this will be a wild, eventful weekend. Of course, everyone has a secret, even the house. And did I mention the “poison garden”? You won’t be able to put this one down! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Tríona Walsh for this ARC.

Not my usual type of book I read but I’m glad I found it, I liked the style of writing and how it’s written, a very good ending as well

I loved the setting, a remote estate in Ireland, and the story was interesting enough to keep me reading. However, I felt like a lot of the conversations and actions were unbelievable, no one would really act that way. It was a quick thriller and I will probably give other books by this author a try.

Thank you to NetGalley Bookouture for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is such a page turner. It grips you right from the beginning all the way to the very end with lots of twists and turns. once you think you have the book figured out…you don’t!! I’m looking forward to more books from this author.

Well done psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way to the end! The Prologue is a great set up for what is to come. The characters are all fully fleshed out and fascinating in their own way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

This book is about Lizzie and her family. Five years after her father’s death, everyone seems to be putting their lives back together. Lizzie, her brother Liam, and her mom head to a remote estate with her mom’s new husband. From that point, things get wild pretty quickly. Without giving any spoilers, this book was fast paced and moved rapidly. I was guessing every step on the way. When I thought I had things figured out, something else would happen. I enjoyed the thrill of this book and how it weaved multiple stories together. As much thrilling material as there was, there was also a family dynamic at play which I thought was portrayed realistically. The last quarter of this book was one thing after another. I loved it. If I had to give this book any criticism it was that some of the shocking plot points had been done before but I think they worked here. I also struggled with some of the repetitive phrases such as “leant.” It sounded weird to me no it was used a lot but that is my only small critique. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for letting me read this ARC! I found a new author to enjoy and will be recommending this book to others,

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader Copy. I loved the premise of this story, and I was hooked by the first chapter. Unfortunately, the story slowly unraveled and I found myself shaking my head at a lot of the conversations and interactions, finding them to be unrealistic. The protagonist (Lizzie) was the only realistic character. Everyone else felt robotic in their behaviors and choices. Ultimately, this was not a read I would recommend given that I have enjoyed the previous book by the author.

This wasn't for me. I do love a locked room mystery but I couldn't get into the style of writing, hated the characters and the plot was just....... a bit too much lol.

This mystery contained many of the same elements of Triona Walsh’s previous book “The Snowstorm” which I really enjoyed: an evocative and isolated location in Ireland, a small cast of characters thrust together for a short period of time, and the unearthing of past secrets. In The Party, Lizzie, fresh from rehab, joins her mother and brother for a weekend at the remote Butler House, to celebrate their mother’s marriage to the estate’s owner; his daughter and her husband join them. But the celebratory mood is short-lived when Lizzie’s father—who died in scandal 5 years earlier—shows up. The events that follow create a classic “locked room” style mystery, with a few side plots that may or may not be connected. I liked the characters and how the events unfolded, and I loved the location. The description of the mansion, which had fallen apart and is in the process of being restored, set in an encroaching forest with various outbuildings and garden spaces, was wonderful. However, I didn’t love the ending, which seemed a bit sudden, and I didn’t feel that all of the storylines were completely resolved But getting to the end was a thrilling journey! I also found that the cover did not match my vision of the house at all, being much more modern, and the title seemed a bit generic. I think that the cover image and title might lead potential readers in a direction that does not match the story. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Lizzie is fresh out of 6 months in Rehab and heads to a remote house in the woods in Co. Mayo with her family to celebrate her mom Claire's marriage to George. The family is still reeling from the death of father Declan 5 years ago and are hopeful this can be the start of something good for them all. They are joined by George's daughter Freya and her new husband Hudson.

On the first night the party is stunned by the arrival of the long assumed dead Declan. This is the start of things going horribly wrong for all involved, with no mobile service or no way off the property until Monday how will they survive? Who can be trusted?

This was meh, I could kind of see where the author was trying to go with it but it fell pretty flat for me. It was kind of silly in many parts.

I did NOT see those twists coming, especially the ones at the end! This was a wild ride and I was totally here for it! Things are so often not what they seem to be and that was the case in pretty much all of this book! Triona Walsh is now on my list of authors to always read! Her 1st book, the Snowstorm was also really great!

#TheParty
#NetGalley

Lizzie, fresh out of rehab, has to spend the weekend with her mom's brand-new family. While that may be hard for anyone who just finished rehab, the remote location of the family home and the shock arrival of her not-so-dead father leaves Lizzie reeling as the weekend takes turn after turn.

***

I'll start off by saying that I generally enjoyed the style of the writing, but the compliments end there. Nothing about the plot made sense. First, there is just no way that Claire would drag her daughter, two seconds out of rehab, on this trip. <spoiler> Let alone take her on this vigilante mission in the middle of nowhere.

Lizzie also points out many times, but it's never explained, why everyone is SO chill when Declan is just murdered out of nowhere. Claire in particular is just like WHATEVS, got to help this Maggie lady get her $10k back. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS? REALLY? This is what this is all about.</spoilers> I just had a really hard time believing any of the motives the character had. George was the only one I liked, which is saying a lot.

If you're willing to suspend all belief and just want something to read that has some mystery to it, this book will work for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!