There’s been a murder at an annual block party on memorial day. But who was it? Let’s go back a year to see how we got here.

This was a fun mystery that reminded me a little bit of Big Little Lies or One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose. Like BLL, in The Block Party, you know that someone will die by the end, but you don’t know who or why. There are a number of affluent families, all with their own secrets, their own problems.

Every new character introduced feels like they could either be the victim or the perpetrator. This is a book with a focus on its women characters. The characters and their journey takes center stage as the mystery is also unfolding. It feels a bit like watching reality TV as all the drama unfolds over a year as things are building up to the murder.

This was a very fun read, filled with flawed characters, and there was really good character growth. I had such a great time reading it, I just could NOT put this down. I read it in one day in practically one sitting.

👎
- There was a HP reference in the book, why, still, in 2023 (when this was published) do we have to keep seeing this?
- I would have enjoyed more twists, there was so much build up to the murder, and you are continuously looking for the connections between the characters with practically a murder board in your mind’s eye, that it feels like the resolution should be more twisty.
- Also the resolution after the murder felt a bit too under-developed. I don’t want to say too much so I don’t spoil anything, but it was a bit underwhelming and unbelievable within the world of the book.

CW: alcoholism

Overall rating: 3.3 ⭐

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC

This books was a quick read and definitely kept me guessing. I enjoy books based on neighborhood drama.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I had never heard of this book or author but am so glad I read this tightly-written, excellent thriller. The story focuses on a cul-de-sac of families and how their lives intertwine with disastrous results.

A murder has happened at the annual block party. The story then shifts to one year before and describes what has happened to those families that led to this event. I loved how the story is told from multiple perspectives so you can see so many sides of the actual plot.

I had no idea who the murderer or victim were and because there were so many candidates (seriously, these families are a mess) it was a fun reveal to see just who was behind it all. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading more from this author for sure!

The Block Party is the story of the families on Alton Road in a well off neighbor over the course of one year. Every year the street gets together for a Memorial Day party. One year a family comes to look at a home for sale during the party but something seems off. One year later the party ends with a murder. The story is told from 2 POV characters (mother and daughter) and a group text conversation. The POV characters' story starts with the first party. The group text chat takes place solely with the call to the police about a murder. This conversation is completely speculative about what is happening as these people do not live on Alton but instead just in the neighborhood. It give outside perspective on how the Alton Road people are perceived.
I liked the concept and the text conversation portions. The characters in the story are your quintessential "rich white person" characters. I found it hard to empathize with any of the characters and I found it easy to put the book down in order to prioritize other reading. If you like the family/neighborhood drama stories then this book might be for you. I will try another Jamie Day novel as I enjoyed the writing and there was nothing I hated about the book. Maybe this one was just not for me.

A twisty neighborhood mystery with a lot of unreliable characters. The Block Party is about a murder that happens during their annual Memorial Day block party. But it all starts the year before. You see first hand how everything turns bad and unravels from the start.

I thought this was just okay! Nothing too exciting happened until the very end. I loved that every character had a secret. I thought the plot moved kind of slow, but that’s to be expected if you’re reading over a year time span.

Like I said this wasn’t my favorite mystery, but it held my attention and had me guessing until the very end!

From start to finish, this mystery kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing was sharp, atmospheric, and perfectly paced—each chapter drawing me deeper into the web of intrigue the author wove. The author’s skillful use of suspense and detail made every scene feel crucial, and I found myself eagerly turning pages, desperate to uncover the truth.

What an exhilarating ride this was!

I was very invested in this book from about chapter 3. It was such a good plot. I will admit that I thought the murder was at least 4 different people throughout the book. I actually recommended it to a friend by describing it as a love child between Nancy Drew and The Desperate Housewives.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me a chance to leave an honest review of this ARC.

DNF - 30% in, and there's already too much repetition for me to want to stick it out. Premise sounded promising, but this one wasn't for me.

Since it is a mystery, I would suggest going into this one as blindly as possible. But what I will say is this. This was a super fun, quick read. I would recommend for fans of Desperate Housewives or someone who wants some neighborhood gossip and drama in their thrillers. I am definitely going to pick up more books by this author!

This book kept me engaged throughout. There are a lot of characters and sidelines, but these characters were relatable, if not completely likeable. It is always fun to take a peek into an idyllic-seeming crowd and see all of the secrets and lies threatening to pull it apart. I recommend it for fans of Liane Moriarty's Truly, Madly Guilty.

𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐗.

𝐈n yet another wealthy American suburban cul-de-sac, this time in a too-close-for-comfort little community on Alton Road, situated in the fictional setting of Meadowbrook, Massachusetts, we follow the storyline to a neighborhood Memorial Day block party in full swing. The music is thumping; the neighborhood kids are having fun—playing and squealing with delight; the tiki bar is open for business, and the neighborhood dads are all busy tending the grills. The Alton Road block party is an annual affair, and there has never been a dull moment in its history. By the way, the person responsible for organizing the yearly festivities is the queen bee of the coveted Altonites, our leading lady, Alexandra "Alex" Fox. Alex is a wife, mother, family lawyer turned divorce mediator, and "recovering" alcoholic.

From where we sit, observing the goings-on in the lives of this cast of characters, Alexandra is the first to take center stage. She moves about the block party, playing her part, smiling on the surface but grimacing within. While Alex has become a pro at putting on airs—feigning happiness—her home life is anything but joyous. She drinks (too much, too often) for the same reason most alcoholics do: to forget and numb the pain, if only briefly.

Alex and her husband, Nick, constantly bicker, and she has lost control of her only child, a teenage daughter named Lettie. Now the block party is on, and Alex is tipsy-tipsy. She's doing her best to avoid her husband, but he advances on her anyway, condemning her intoxication and ordering her to go home and sleep it off, which she does. A good nap can always chase away the drunk, but it's not so good at staving off the hangover. When Alex awakes, her head is pounding, and her mouth is bone-dry. And rather than hearing the smooth sounds of fireworks, music, and laughter from her neighbors enjoying the last remnants of their Memorial Day block party, Alex startles awake to the wailing sound of police sirens.

Dear reader, the stage is now set for a vicious, year-long chain of events that will make you question everything you thought you knew about the nature of humankind, everything you thought you knew about your friends, neighbors, and even your significant other. For here, the love—or lack thereof—of many will all but turn a cold shoulder and emote a bitter scowl.

Dear reader? Shall we recommence?

꧁༺ 𝓞𝓷𝓮 𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓔𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓻 ༻꧂

𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 A̶B̶B̶Y̶ 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗.

There are two things Alex Fox should have but doesn't: a clergy collar and a confession booth. Alex is the person everyone turns to for advice on how they should live, how to build better foundations for their marriages, what they should do about money issues, what to do if their spouse is cheating, how to handle domestic situations, what to wear and how to wear it, how they should bathe and brush their teeth and wash their hair, etc., etc., etc. People seek out Alex to tell her all their problems – and Alex, the confessor, is only too willing to advise, too intent on fixing their lives.

Perhaps the worst of those needing guidance is Alex's younger sister, Emily Adair, an unhinged, albeit highly in-demand real estate agent. The wife of Ken Adair, a successful software salesman (say that three times fast), the brunette, hazel-eyed Emily is jealous of her husband, Ken, and feels threatened by other (more beautiful) women. Ken had ONE affair before—or so he admits—and Emily has NEVER forgotten it. A realtor whose motto is the "Thrill of the Deal," Emily is always on edge, with one eye on the commissions and the other on her arrogant philanderer of a husband. Ken Adair is a dog; there's no doubt about it. Emily doesn't trust him, and in no uncertain terms does she let everyone in her miserable and insecure orbit know it. She'll be damned if she allows him to humiliate her again. And no matter what, her big sister, Alex, will always be in her corner. Emily can count on it.

𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯, 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘺 𝘒𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘳—𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰-𝘨𝘰𝘰 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴.

𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒, 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐊: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋.

Lettie Fox, the only lonely child of Nick and Alex, is not without her pubescent struggles. Smart as a whip, Lettie, an activist, is on the climate crisis committee at Meadowbrook Middle School, studying global warming, among other atmospheric ills that threaten the climatic health of planet Earth. Once a happy and carefree teen (with a dream of attending USC, never mind her dad's sternly advising UMass), Lettie is now withdrawn and antisocial—not to mention a social pariah and outcast. Lettie used to have friends, but that was before she fell victim to a small (and small-minded) group of mean girls led by her former best friend from childhood, the rich and snobbish Riley Thompson. A tramp in disguise, the blonde-haired Riley is the essence of popularity and the former president of the student council who struts about with the air of an A-list celebrity. Riley ("Rye," as her former friend turned foe, Lettie, likes to call her) knows there is a difference between right and wrong, but she prefers to do the latter. Riley and her arrogant posse (of girlfriends) delight in the evil they do to Lettie. The mean girls show no mercy, even dubbing the target of their oppressive treatment "Loony Lettie." What makes matters worse is that Riley is dating Lettie's cousin, Dylan Adair. That, on top of her hateful treatment of Lettie—which stings with the power of a scorpion.

The BMW-driving Riley Thompson is a liar, a backstabber, a betrayer, and a baby snake the world would be better off without. And Lettie would love to take her vengeance on the mean girl—if only she had the guts to do so. Lettie may have a little compassion left over in her broken heart, but not everyone shares her empathy. Riley Thompson—wearing her pink, expensive sneakers and snapping selfies on her pink, expensive phone—is a self-loathing skank.

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭—𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐎.

On the day the Kumar family moves into the big, beautiful, expensive, and empty home on Alton Road, the festivities of the block party are already ongoing. Punjab, India native Samir, the controlling and jealous husband, is a psychiatrist; his lovely, tall, and blonde wife, Mandy, is a psychologist; and their good-looking (teenage) son Jay, the vaping boy with a scorpion tattoo on his wrist, is an aspiring hacker and a shady character for whom Lettie falls head-over-heels at first sight. Jay is the oldest surviving child of the distant Samir and Mandy, who lost their youngest boy, Asher, to a drowning death only a few years before. The weight of the untimely demise of her youngest child has taken an extreme toll on Mandy Kumar, but deep, dark secrets about her past are even more haunting.
Deep, dark secrets that now call Alton Road home.

Jay loves his mother and wants to protect her. And he will; he will defend her honor. He'll get the person who robbed his mother of her dignity and left her a broken woman.
Jay Kumar possesses a ruthless sting, the scorpion tattoo on his wrist betraying the true spirit of his nature. Unfortunately for Lettie, hell-bent on exacting revenge on mean girl Riley, she will find this out the hard way. Jay knows something about Riley that Lettie doesn't. And the sickening secret is sure to crush her.

𝘑𝘢𝘺 𝘒𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘯 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭) 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘴𝘰𝘯.

𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍-𝐋𝐎𝐖: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐑.

Ken Adair is onery, full of himself. He was the big, popular jock in high school, the big man on his college campus, Ken Adair; he makes women swoon, Ken Adair; he can charm a woman straight out of her panties, Ken Adair. And his whiny, whimpering wife, Emily, should thank the gods that he found her worthy to be called his wife.

Ken Adair prides himself on the fact that only his genitalia can rival his ego in size. He's a boaster who purposefully engages in partiality towards his two sons, Logan and Dylan, favoring the elder Lacrosse champion Logan—who's more like his dear old dad, Ken—over the youngest, Dylan, who can't seem to live up to dad Ken's lofty standards. And none of it is doing the kid's mental health any good. While Dylan mopes around depressed and feeling like a failure, no thanks to his idiotic father, Ken, Death holds out its hand, pleading with Dylan that the young man would be better off in the netherworld of its realm. Given the atmosphere in the Adair household is already tense, no thanks to Ken's browbeating Dylan and his extramarital affairs for which Emily never (truly) forgave him, Ken Adair was just spotted by his sister-in-law, the nosy Alex, sneaking out the back door of the Kumars' new home and creeping into the woods beyond. No one but Mandy had been home at the time. So what was Ken doing there with her—alone? And what made Ken withdraw $25,000.00 from Emily's and his checking account? He claimed the suspiciously large withdrawal was for taxes—but was it? Ken and Emily have plenty of money (or so Emily says), but still. A quarter of one hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money—with the ability to raise red flags. Emily's missing emerald necklace is also cause for concern. Where is it?

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘵?

𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 — 𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄.

Willow Thompson is a tall and svelte thirty-something blonde who is awfully immaculate and always dressed to impress—for a woman with no job. How does she do it? How does Willow manage to stay so blemish-free, fat-free, and stress-free? Well, it doesn't take much effort when you're married to the world-famous fashion photographer Evan Thompson, a spoiled, arrogant jerk who fancies lording his money, or, rather, his family's money over others.

On the surface, the notable—and extremely temperamental—Evan Thompson, his beautiful wife Willow, and their pretty daughter Riley are the picture of perfection, a family with money and everything else for which the heart could wish. But the goings-on behind closed doors are disgusting and ugly things that have become adept at hiding themselves from the prying eyes of those fellow Altonites.

In the case of Evan and Willow Thompson, the phrase opposites attract is non-applicable. Willow hates the man and is desperate to divorce him, but she won't file the divorce papers for fear that Evan will leave her and Riley penniless. At least that's the story she tells her makeshift marriage counselor, Alex. But is that the whole truth? Or does Willow fear the level of fury Evan will unleash no sooner than he learns his precious little Riley is not his biological child?

𝘞𝘩𝘺, 𝘰𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘺, 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯’ 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 ... 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥?!

𝐎𝐇, 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄, 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐄.

There is always one sex kitten who stands out among old maids. And the one on Alton Road is named Brooke Bailey. The ever-chic, gorgeous, worldly, sophisticated, and olive-skinned Brooke is a head-turner for days and days, possessing a body and face women envy and men desire. Brooke Bailey is courteous and genuinely kind, but still. Her smile lights up a room, and she seems to have no flaws—at least none Alex and Emily can see. Some, especially Alex, wonder what Brooke does for work, as they never see her leaving her opulent house on her way to any job, nor has Brooke ever shared details of her employment. There are many things the Altonites don't know about their attractive neighbor, Brooke, but one thing they do know is that she is the epitome of a woman who has it all, including a sexy, come-hither photo of herself on Nick's phone.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦—? 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘶𝘱 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺.

Brooke Bailey is also a woman whose neighbors are suspicious about the death of her husband, Jerry. What happened to Jerry on that luxury cruise ship? Many in their community, particularly the judgmental females, suspect his fall overboard was no accident. And these would include Lettie, who thinks Brooke Bailey is a cunning, albeit stunning, femme fatale, although some men would beg to differ. The fellas on Alton Road may pretend they don't see her, but no one can deny the beauty of the former s̶t̶r̶i̶p̶p̶e̶r̶ exotic dancer, Brooke, not even Ken Adair, the former best friend—and partner in all manner of extreme indulgence—of the late Jerry Bailey. Her body is like fluid, the way it moves. It's like poetry in motion, one might say. And the man who will become her stalker would agree. He's the man who will send Brooke dirty, lovesick letters, confessing his devotion to her—and 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 her. He's the man who will kill to protect his filthy little obsession with Brooke.

𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.

𝐏𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋.

The Bug Man is a pest exterminator with many enemies on Alton Road. Ken Adair and Evan Thompson just so happen to be two of his worst. These men hate the Bug Man, and they hate his aggressive sales tactics. They hate his cockiness and his annoying personality. But Bug Man couldn't care less; he takes a perverse pleasure in annoying the rich pricks. Ken and Evan want the Bug Man gone, and they will do whatever it takes to get him and his unwanted services away from them and their pristine little community.
Evan threatens to beat the Bug Man to a pulp, but Ken does one better. Ken moves heaven and Earth to get the pesty imbecile fired. So there. Power play. That'll teach the irritating bum to stay in his place!

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵: 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭.

꧁༺ 𝓞𝓷𝓮 𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓛𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻 ༻꧂

Over an entire year, the stars of this striking tale become interwoven in a germ-infested cesspool brimming with the waste matter of hatred, revenge, alcoholism, drug abuse, adultery, jealousy, envy, covetousness, revenge, spite, rage, anger, rape, bullying, mental health woes, depression, hopelessness, broken spirits, domestic abuse, lies, malice, and vindictiveness. It all gets to be too much for our starring cast members. And before the annual Memorial Day block party comes to an end, two of them will be dead and gone – murdered in ice-cold blood.

𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘺, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭.

And none can attest to this better than the envious fault-finders who live outside the well-to-do confines of the Altonites, the same disapproving men and women who spend their entire days gossiping about their better-offs in a flimsy blog thread on the so-called Meadowbrook Online Community Page.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘵.

𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.

There is no gift in the world quite like that of storytelling. The ability to tell a story with detail to plot, a distinction of character development, and a singular style in the craft of writing are all the features that make an author exceptional. And if 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺, the debut novel of Jamie Day, is any indication of her capacity, I can hardly wait to read her follow-up effort, 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺. Jamie Day, indeed, shows herself approved here. Phenomenal writing—and a witty way with words! Jamie Day put her foot in this one!
Whenever I feel compelled to re-read dialogue in a book because the writing is that darn good, that's saying something.

Co-starring Grady O'Brien as a young officer tasked with the misfortune of investigating the troubled lives of the Altonites and Monique LaSalle, who plays her bit part well as a close relative of Riley's biological father (or bio-dad), 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺, narrated in the dual viewpoints of Alex and Lettie (the latter an Aries character I will love forever), is a home run hitter, an outstanding tale; mysterious, heartfelt, emotional, and meaningful—not to forget thrilling, twisty, and remarkably suspenseful.

I do believe that many readers will thank God they're alive after reading 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺. The same will want to grab their loved ones and hug them, kiss them, and appreciate them all the more.

Concluding this tale, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as I sat glued to the proverbial edge of my seat. Notwithstanding a pinch of typos typical of an unedited gallery proof, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 rendered such a fascinating read that those few flaws were easily forgivable. I enjoyed this neatly-compacted narrative, dear reader, and I am sure you will share my sentiments. Consider it highly recommended.

Five block-party-pooped stars.


𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐑’𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: I am pleased to thank St. Martin's Press for the complimentary copy of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺—via NetGalley—for my reading pleasure.
Analysis of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 by Jamie Day is courtesy of Literary Criticism by Cat Ellington for The Arts©.

Just okay for me. Lots of unlikeable characters and lots of neighborhood drama wore on me a bit. I was just never sure who I was rooting for.

This book had a lot of twists and turns that come out when someone is murdered at the annual block party. Many secrets come out as Jamie Day takes you back from the previous year, to present, in the midst of the angst. Everyone wants to be at the block party, and many are not invited, but the invited are not whom they seem to be. Great book and a must read! Thanks to Jamie Day, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Th Block Party is the perfect nosey neighborhood thriller. Alton Road has its very own block party every year to ring in the summer… but this year’s turn out to be not so fun. Speculations arrive in the neighborhood forum and everyone has something different to add to what might have happened.

These people have a lot of secrets and everyone has their own bout of gossip to spill. I love gossipy thriller where it seems like everyone e is untrustworthy. This one will sure keep you on the edge of your seat as you figure out what really happened at this years block party!

I started this book last year and then half way through I got bored and put it down. A year later, I have finished the book. The book has an interesting premise, and once you get to the end, it makes sense why you learned everything from the previous year. This block has a lot of issues and so many secrets.

Talk about neighborhood dysfunction and drama! Reading about Alton Lane was like watching a trainwreck - I couldn’t peel away from the scandal and web of lies woven by the eccentric cast of characters brought together by the Memorial Day block party. There were twists & turns that I didn’t expect amongst a wide array of characters, all with their own secrets and stories behind closed doors. Loved the character development and guessing who was behind the murder. Desperate Housewives Wysteria Lane vibes! A good beach read with a satisfying ending.

This book starts with a bang, but it slows down after that. It's what happened and why story based around the families that live on one street. It all comes together, but the tension is uneven in the middle of the book.

The blurb of this one was right up my alley, but the execution of it didn’t do much for me.

Mom and daughter Alex and Lettie live on Alton Road in the suburb of Meadowbrook. Every year, Altonites throw a block party to celebrate Memorial Day, but this year, the police are called because of a murder.

Most of the book happens in the year leading up the murder, exploring the characters’ lives and possible motives. This type of book is normally something I’d be really into, but I thought parts of the writing would throw in extra comments that were unnecessary, which slowed things down. The story didn’t move at a pace that kept me hooked, and I overall felt blah about it. I didn’t care about any of the characters enough to have many feelings about what was happening to them.

If this hadn’t been one for NetGalley, I would have DNFed it.

Neighbourhood Drama, Secrets, Murder

The Block Party by Jamie Day is a domestic thriller set in an affluent neighbourhood. The story revolves around the annual Memorial Day block party on Alton Road, a seemingly idyllic place where the residents are entangled in a web of secrets and scandals. The plot unfolds through multiple points of view, primarily focusing on Alex, a wife and mother who oversees the block party, and her rebellious daughter, Lettie. The narrative flashes back and forth over a year, culminating in a murder that takes place during the block party, leaving the community in turmoil as they try to uncover the perpetrator and the motive behind the crime.

The Block Party excels in creating a gripping narrative filled with suspense and drama. Jamie Day's ability to weave multiple storylines and perspectives into a cohesive plot is commendable. The book's strengths lie in its complex characters and the exploration of dark themes that resonate with readers. However, some may find the pacing slow at times, and the numerous characters can be challenging to keep track of. Despite these minor drawbacks, The Block Party is an entertaining and thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of domestic thrillers.

This is the story of dysfunctional neighbors on an exclusive cul-de-sac. What looks normal from the outside is anything but normal on the inside. This story had many twists and turns along the way. Although this story is about an eclectic group of people, you can't help but find yourself rooting for them.

Lots and lots of drama that culminates in murder. Who done it?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC for my honest opinion. I really liked this book and recommend to others!