Wowzer! This is one locked room thriller you don't want to miss. It has a cast of some pretty horrible people which make it so entertaining. This is one fast paced, binge worthy read.

Emily was killed the day of graduation. Friends have held what happened that night a secret because if the truth came out lives would be destroyed.

Now, the college friends are going to reunite on a private island to celebrate Will and Ruthie's engagement. Only problem is one of them is a killer. I liked the multiple points of view and how you feel the panic radiate off the page at you as things start to unfold. You aren't exactly sure who is telling the truth and who is lying.

The ending-What??? I so love it when you get to the end and can be shocked with a twist that leaves you wanting to read more by this author.

Do yourself a favor and add to TBR list now. You will be glad you did.

I had a hard time getting into this book. So many of the characters were superficial and at the beginning the plot seemed a bit straight forward. It did get better about midway through, which was good. Overall it was an alright read.

Talk about a book full of unlikeable characters and unreliable narrators! A group of friends (and I use that term very lightly) that join each other on a small island to celebrate one of their engagements soon find themselves in a hellish game of manipulation and psychological warfare. Violence, secrets, and twists abound.

The story was completely ridiculous yet at the same time entertaining. It seemed like almost every chapter something unhinged happened. It was a crazy ride, almost borderline silly in plot, but I found it oddly enjoyable.

A dozen years ago, just after graduating from Bowdoin College in Maine, Emily was murdered and her killer was never definitely identified. Now, one member of her group of “friends,” Will, who was repeatedly engaged before, is getting married to new girl Ruthie, and the engagement party is, of course, on an isolated island with spotty cell coverage and whose mainland access disappears at high tide. Alex and Cassie, now married lawyers, are reluctant participants, but worry about “controlling the conversation.” Mitch (once Will’s BFF) is adamant he won’t attend until his outsider sort-of girlfriend Sierra convinces him to face his past demons. However, as Mitch’s plus one, Sierra immediately senses that some is amiss among the old friends and that it concerns Emily. But, more concerning — is there someone else on the island? Besides a dead body in a car trunk?

The story is told via the POVs of Sierra, Alex, and Ruthie, and excludes Cassie, Mitch, and Will. The shifting POVs adequately cover the narrative: Sierra, apparently a total innocent who does care for forever victimized Mitch; Alex, one of the people present when Emily went missing, never a suspect, but bullied by his wife, Cassie; and Ruthie, Will’s fiancée who apparently does have a mysterious connection to the friends’ past. Through them, we experience a lot of “convenient” coincidences, leaving everyone unsure of who to trust. The story reminded me of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” and Lucy Foley’s “The Guest List” while it supplied the requisite tension and revelations to keep you guessing if anyone would survive. The mystery of Emily’s death also endured until the very end and a final unexpected twist was even more surprising. I ended up not being able to put this down! 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Just some big brown ones.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO But Sierra and Mitch are partners in a landscaping business.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Engagement Party started off so strong and I was hooked from the first page! I'll admit the plot is not unique: a bunch of college friends with a sordid history reunite on a secluded island in Maine. The first half of this book was wild and while not the most original, there were certain elements about the key players that sucked me right in. It was a good blend of characters that were awful and a little endearing.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book kind of lost me. Things took a turn from thriller territory into more of an action movie. The plot went off the rails and the ending wasn't my favorite. It definitely wasn't bad but it was just a bit too much at the last minute for me.

The setting was really fun and atmospheric! Also the pace was incredibly fast and the chapters were short, so if you're looking for a juicy thriller to finish in a weekend, this might just be it!

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲...
💍 Locked room mysteries and thrillers
🔪 Nonstop, heart pounding action
📚 A revenge plot
💍 Snarky banter
🔪 Slasher vibes
📚 Unlikable characters and unreliable narrators
💍 Twists and drama
🔪 Thrills and chills
📚 Characters with questionable morals

Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @williammorrowbooks for the advanced copy of #theengagementparty by the incredible Darby Kane @hkdimon!

After reading and LOVING Pretty Little Wife a few years ago, it became quickly apparent that if Kane writes it, I will read it!

The Engagement Party has totally different vibes from Kane’s other works and if you’re a sucker for a good slasher book or film and love to hate the narrators, I can’t recommend this one enough!

The Engagement Party releases December 5th!

Mitch, Will, Alex and Cassie are college friends with some serious secrets. When they are brought together on a remote island to celebrate Will's latest relationship, bodies start piling up and no one is getting off the island alive if those secrets aren't uncovered. Tense and fast-paced, for anyone who loves this kind of "locked room" mystery.

A suspenseful read that drew me in immediately. So many twists and turns, this was a page turner to the very end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher. This review is my own.

***** I have received and read an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for giving my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.*****

Lots of potential here, but unfortunately this just fell flat for me.

Out of all of the characters, there wasn't a single character that I felt connected with. I don't necessarily have to like a character to connect with the story, but a connection is needed for me to really get into a story.

It's not a terrible book, but as far as whodunit books go, this just falls flat in a genre filled with amazing books.

I think another round of edits could have developed the characters and brought some more cohesiveness to the story and really elevated this book, but as it is, it's only a 2/5 for me.

This wasn't my favorite whodunit. The characters weren't very likable. There were some moments that just didn't make sense to me either. Thank you, NetGalley.

Twelve years after their college friend Emily dies during graduation weekend, four friends (and their significant others) come together on a private island in Maine to celebrate the engagement of one of their own. This locked-room mystery gets even more complicated when bodies start popping up on the island – is one of the guests the killer, or are they not as alone as they think? And does someone else know about what really happened to Emily back in college?

The story is told from three different POVS: Sierra, business partner, confidante, and unrequited admirer of Mitch, one of the original college friends; Alex, an attorney and Mitch’s best friend, who will do anything to keep secrets from the past hidden to protect his family; and Ruthie, one-half of the engaged couple and the person who invited everyone to the island this weekend.

The Engagement Party was very fast paced – the story started immediately, without a lot of buildup, which I really liked. I hate when some stories give you so much backstory, it takes half the book to get to the good parts. I was already scared reading this at the 10-15% mark! The story is full of unlikeable characters, which makes the reader question whether most of them should even be saved. This read like a campy horror movie, very in line with I Know What You Did Last Summer. It felt like a good read for October, because it gave me spooky/scary vibes without being TOO scary (because I’m a scaredy-cat and hate real horror).

I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, and the short chapters held my interest and kept me reading to find out what the heck was going on and what really happened to Emily twelve years ago. My only critique is that the ending felt a little complicated and didn’t explain as much as I would want. That being said, I think this might be my new favorite Darby Kane book! I love a good locked-room mystery and this one was very reminiscent of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and of course Agatha Christie.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Engagement Party by Darby Kane involves one of my favorite tropes, the “isolated location”. Twelve years after one of their friends was murdered, four college pals (and two innocent friends) reunite for an engagement party. The party takes place at a luxurious home on a private island, but soon after they arrive, a dead body is found. A storm strands them on the island with a killer who wants revenge for the college murder that had been covered up.

I was excited to read this one since I love stories that take place in isolated locations and involve revenge for a past wrong. The element that I typically love about this trope is the mystery, and that was lacking in this story. I love trying to piece together the clues to figure out who would want to get revenge. But, I couldn’t do that in this book – the identity of the person who is hunting them on the island is revealed at about the midpoint and it is not anyone that we could have anticipated. There is no mystery as to who that killer is. The mystery into who killed the friend in college is portrayed as the big mystery of the book, but it’s not a big enough mystery to carry the story. We know they are hiding the truth, and it didn't matter much which one of them actually did it. The reveal at the end was anticlimactic and didn’t make sense with the other facts that we had been told. We are left to believe that the killer’s confession and motive were lies.

That’s not to say this isn't enjoyable. It is, it’s just not a mystery. I have seen it compared to “And Then There Were None” combined with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and I can partially agree with that. I don’t agree with the comparison to Agatha Christie, since the mystery element is lacking, but I do agree with the comparison to “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Readers who enjoy that 1990’s-era slasher film will enjoy this. It is an over-the-top killer out for revenge against friends who are hiding a terrible secret. It is not horror, but has elements of it, and I think many fans who like “light horror” will enjoy it.

Another complaint is that the final twist was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the story. It's a twist just for the sake of having a twist and meant nothing whatsoever as to the motive for what happened. So why have it?

I rated this four stars since I believe there are many readers who will enjoy this even though I wasn’t completely impressed. This book is for readers who love to see a killer terrorizing a group of unlikeable characters in an isolated location. If you don’t expect more than that, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Engagement Party.

I love a good killer-at-a-party novel, and this one did not disappoint. This was a one-sitting read for me. Make sure you block out your time for this one because, much like Pringles, once you pop, you can't stop. I'm not a huge Agatha Christie fan so I was a little leary when I saw the blurb touting it as an And Then There Were None and I Know What You Did Last Summer mix. I'm glad that I did not let that deter me. While I do see the similarities between And Then There Were None and The Engagement Party, I have to say I enjoyed this novel much more.

Emily Hunt is found dead after college graduation. While law enforcement closed the case, they may have accused the wrong suspect, and someone is bound and determined to make the real murderer pay. Twelve years later, four of Emily's friends and two others are off to a remote island to celebrate one of their engagements. After finding a dead body in the trunk of a car in a garage that was previously locked and the storm of all storms on its way to them, the strings begin to unravel and the truth starts coming out. As the party turns deadly, who can you trust to help you survive the night?

A dark locked room mystery set on an island. A group of friends meet up for an engagement party but they haven’t seen each other since of the their college friends was found dead. I enjoy a good locked room mystery and this one has all the elements. It’s told on multiple POV and a little bit of dual timeline with flashbacks to college.

Emily was found dead outside her college on graduation weekend. Her body was found floating in a river, and the body of a quiet loner was found nearby, thought to be suicide. However, a few of Emily’s friends hold the key to both deaths.

Now twelve years later, the friends are together again to celebrate an engagement. They’re gathered on a quiet and secluded island in Maine.

Tensions begin to rise when a body is found in the trunk of a wrecked care with a note: time to tell the truth. As things get worse, a horrible storm sweeps the island. Can they figure out who the killer is before they all become prey?

This was such a fun and twisty book with plenty of red herrings to keep me entertained. I love a good, locked room thriller, they are my favorite types of thrillers, and this one delivered. I also really enjoy reading this author, I feel that she reliably delivers good thrillers. This book was wonderfully atmospheric that made me feel like I was right there with the characters. I eyed how so many of the characters in this one was unlikeable. It found me waiting to see who was going to get in trouble next, and I liked it because I was rooting for them all to be next! I particularly enjoyed all the different points of view. Sometimes when there are too many points of view, I get confused but that was not the case here as each character was distinct and unique.

If you are looking for a creepy and delightful thriller, then I recommend you check this one out.

Thank you to the publisher William Morrow, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A locked room mystery on a remote island off the coast of Maine. Add to that a storm and a killer out for revenge and you have one crazy, wild page turner from Darby Kane. I binged this book in an afternoon, hooked by the story and the cast of highly unlikeable characters. It did not disappoint. I do believe this is my new favourite book by this author.

6 friends are having a weekend away on an island to celebrate the engagement of Will and Ruthie. none of them particularly want to go but they make the effort. As soon as they arrive, strange things start to happen and their past will come back to haunt them. College friends for years, they are hiding a very dark and dangerous secret. And somebody wants the truth.

There are so many twists and surprises in this book. Do not pick this up unless you have cleared your schedule, you will not want to stop reading it. Serious Agatha Christie vibes here and I was all for it.

Thanks to William Morrow, NetGalley and Thriller Book Promotions for my advanced copy to read. Publishes on December 5th.

A locked room mystery with the POV related by the characters who are all traveling to a secluded island off the coast of Maine. This group (now adults) were all friends back when attending a prominent college (except one spouse). Will is engaged, again, and they are going to meet his latest crush, Ruthie. Mitch and Sierra are both lawyers and work together as partners. Sierra did not attend college with the others. Alex and Cassie are married with a young daughter. Things go wrong very quickly after they arrive. The plot involves the group having regrets and guilt from a deadly event after graduation, they all either participated in or knew about and covered up.
Being critical of an author whom I know poured everything into writing a novel is something I hate to do, but this story didn’t work for me. It’s not a new or original plot, but could have been better executed and more successful for me. It had some unexpected twists and surprises and there is brutal violence and demented villains. The premise had potential but was underdeveloped and not cohesive. They didn’t converse like people who were close for years. The conversations seemed generic and forced, not like friends who knew each other intimately for years. No one was particularly likable or interesting. I don’t have to like a character to enjoy the story, but they just were not well developed to me. There wasn’t enough history (except for Mitch) or personal background for me to engage with any of them. They were almost indistinguishable and it was hard to remember who was who. All of them shared only one horrific event, a death, which defined the entirety of their lives. Perhaps that was the point.
I have not read anything by this author before. I read the digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley of “The Engagement Party” by Darby Kane and HarperCollins Publishers. These are always my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Most of the time, I give Darby Kane a 4 star but this is a 5! This was intricate and entwined in such a way that only a locked room thriller writer who did her research could. this was just plain fun.

Do you like a locked room mystery ? Do you like fast paced mysteries with multiple POVs ? And a room ( or in this case an island ) full of unlikable characters? Well this one is for you! I think the book could have been a bit shorter and I I got a little whiplash at the end with all the twists 🤣 but overall I enjoyed this one !

College friends bound together by dark secrets and death come together twelve years later to celebrate an engagement. The locale: a remote island in New England, only accessible when the tide is low. But as soon as they arrive, things start going disastrously wrong – a dead body, a torrential downpour, the power goes out, and cell signals are nonexistent. It seems like someone knows their secrets and is determined to make them pay. Will they all survive the weekend?

Darby Kane is showing that revenge is a dish best served twisty in this tense psychological thriller! Fast-paced, gripping, and atmospheric, I was racing through the pages to keep up with all the action! Full of unlikeable, unreliable characters and lots of “I didn’t see that coming” moments!

Read this if you’re a fan of:
• Locked room thrillers
• Twists galore
• Multiple POV
• Final Girl / And Then There Were None style plotlines
• “Trapped on an island in a storm” settings
• I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for providing me an advance copy of this book.