THE HOUSEWARMING
BY Kristin Offiler
 
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
 
Release date: 01.08.25
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing
 
In 2014 five friends have their annual get together on Block Island. It was a memorable summer. Especially when only four of them return home.
Five years later, Zoe Gilbert’s disappearance is still an unsolved case, so Callie decides to invite her old friends, Meg, Tess, and Lindsey to reunite on Block Island on the anniversary of the mystery that tore them apart, with the hopes of re-kindling their lost friendship.
But Patricia Adele, a true crime podcaster, is lurking and eager to meet up with girls again, after casting suspicion on them all five years ago when Zoe went missing.
The four friends must now fight with their own secrets and shared history to find out what really happened to Zoe. But will the truth set them free?
 
My Thoughts:
 
I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller about friendships, secrets and lies. What a fabulous idea for a novel … What happened on a girl’s trip?
 
Centred around the disappearance of a woman and the suspicion that falls on her four friends.
I was hooked from the first page and absolutely loved the multiple POV’s and enjoyed getting to know each character as the story unfolded. Each woman was completely different, and it was fascinating to delve into their lives and uncover secrets they were hiding. My thoughts of who to trust changed with every chapter, I think. The story was so compelling that I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out. It was quite a slow build up, but I feel that this suited the tone of the story, which then lead us to the gripping ending.
 
A fantastic, unputdownable debut by Kristin Offiler, that I read in a day.
This would make a great summer read.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning, starting with a captivating prologue that immediately set the tone for the suspense to come. Told through alternating perspectives, each chapter offers a fresh and insightful look into the lives and secrets of the characters, gradually piecing together the mystery from multiple angles.
The story centers on five close friends who have made it a tradition to reunite every year on Block Island. But everything changes when, during one of their visits, one of them suddenly disappears without a trace. The disappearance triggers a police investigation, brings long-buried secrets to the surface, and draws the unwanted attention of a local conspiracy theorist determined to uncover the truth.
As suspicion builds and loyalties fray, the group slowly drifts apart—until five years later, when they’re reunited at a housewarming, and the past resurfaces in ways none of them could have predicted.
Kristin has crafted a suspenseful, emotionally layered, and tightly woven narrative that keeps readers guessing at every turn. The pacing is perfect, the twists are clever, and the characters feel real and flawed in the best way. I couldn’t put it down and found myself thinking about the story long after I turned the final page.

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I really liked the story and I loathed Patricia, so good job about her. She was horrible, and entitled, I wish she could have learned something about all the Zoe's mess and become a better person.
The mystery about Zoe was a bit bland at the end, but I enjoyed the ride. I'm going to read more booke by Kristin Offiler in the future..

The Housewarming by Kristen Hoffaler, after meeting at summer camp on Block Island five friends Meg Kayla Tess and Lindsey, after years of spending summers together would eventually form a bond and continued the tradition until their late 20s when one of the friends Zoe doesn’t make it home. during the search for Zoie, the four friends meet blogger and aspiring True Crime podcast or Patricia Abdel who not only blames the friends for Zoe going missing but is also relentless and trying to find the answers that she believes to be right going as far as stalking them and also causing a rift that would last five years. we also learned that the friends left behind all have reasons to feel guilty whether the real or imagined and the rest of the book is set up with Kayla getting ready for her housewarming after her and her husband buy a home on Block Island where she grew up but it will also pose as the memorial for her friend Zoe and will try to reunite the other three friends who haven’t spoke to her since a couple of days after Zoe went missing. They all want answers to what happened to Zoe and unlike Patricia they don’t have a narrative already set in their mind as to what happened but when they do find out the truth it will be 1,000,000 miles away from what they even could’ve guessed happened. Although I found the ending quite flimsy and not something you could take to the bank nor bring to court I did like the rest of the book and if we take the ending at face value it really all in all very interesting read I just didn’t like the very flimsy reveal. also in life Patricia could’ve been brought up on so many charges it’s ridiculous so I found that part of the book to be a slight suspension of belief and I am surprised not one of the girls felt the need to smack her in the face more than once. Having said that I still would recommend this it’s not as good as some, but way better than others. #NetGalley, #TheBlindreviewer, #MyHonestReview, #KristenHoffaler, #TheHousewarming,

The Housewarming grabs you immediately from the first chapte, It draws you into a whirlwind of emotions around friendship and betrayal that keep you wanting to read just one more page. The perfect mix of friendship, mystery, family drama, and intrigue. A 5-star read!

Thank you to the author for offering to send me a digital copy of this ARC! When I first saw that there were so many POVs, I was a little nervous going into this one. However, they were all written in third person, which made the story easy to digest, and I didn't have a hard time keeping the characters and each of their storylines straight. This book was chock full of atmospheric writing, and it takes place in Block Island, which makes for a perfect summer mystery thriller. I was surprised by the ending - it was shocking yet realistic. Well done on this debut novel!

What a fun, twisty novel! I finished the last half in one day because I couldn’t put it down. Offiler does an amazing job creating unique, crafty, and compelling characters across the four women who are under suspicion when the 5th in their group goes missing after a yearly summer get together. This books has heart, mystery, and leaves you guessing until the very end! She keeps the prose straightforward and lets you stay focused on the unfolding of a very plausible and interesting case. If you want a debut that will keep you guessing pick this one up right away!!!

In THE HOUSEWARMING, four friends return to the vibrant island of their early-aughts youth, where old betrayals, dark secrets, and a missing person case have been waiting for them. Kristin Offlier launches her career with a visceral, nostalgic, bittersweet thriller I couldn’t stop reading.

This book kept me guessing until the end. But even more than the mystery, I stayed for the friendships. Everyone has had those long term friendships that wax and wane, pull together then fall apart and eventually settle into something lasting. Offiler captures that experience so well here. Even though the friendships in this book are tested by tragedy, I think any reader can find a glimpse of their own longterm friendships here. Perfect for a summer read. Beach optional, but highly encouraged.

Right off the bat we are thrown into the mystery that surrounds a group of friends who meet every year for a week on Block Island. I was immediately intrigued, and hooked to read more.

Offiler does an amazing job delving into the characters on not one, not two, but FOUR POVs. You get to know each character, and what makes them.. them.

Learn each character’s secrets, and lies, and see if you can solve the mystery… I sure didn’t. Overall, a great thriller and I’m looking forward to more from this author!