The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland was an interesting, engaging thriller with a lot of twists and turns.
This book had me right on the edge of my seat and I loved everything about it.
A great storyline with enough complexity in the characters to keep you wondering what the heck was going know!
It was well written with great characters, short grippy chapters, fast paced throughout and with an explosive twist at the end that I just never saw coming.

📚: The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland
⭐️: 3/5

A birthday party at an ice rink, where 6 girls arrive and one disappears.

This book started out so strong, and ran into pacing issues by the middle. A strong twist at the end that while predictable, landed strong.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Birthday Party is out now.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY was unfortunately not a hit for me. I’ve enjoyed almost all of Shalini Boland’s prior novels but this one was a surprising departure. The book dragged and dragged, and literally nothing happened until 85% of the way in, and even then it was anticlimatic. I would definitely read her next one but this one was a clear disappointment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

A woman's niece goes missing without a trace during her daughters birthday party. This was a tragic story that focused more on the effects of a tragic event than the mystery itself. This was a page-turner in its own way, portraying the aunt's guilt, the mother's devastation, and the ripple effect throughout the rest of the family. If you are looking for non-stop action, this may not be for you. If you enjoy an emotional journey, you will love this one. Things pick up towards the end, and we are given answers, although you may have to suspend disbelief a bit. Overall, I enjoyed this one and give it three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK, for this ARC.

The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland will blow your mind in every possible way! I read the book in half a day and could not put it down!! What did I just read? Wow! Six little girls are at an outdoor skating rink for Georgia's 8th birthday party. Georgia had told her Mom, Natalie, that she wanted the skating party more than anything. Natalie and her husband, Theo, were more than happy to make their daughter's wish come true. Natalie's sister, Jo, is a single mom and hardly ever has a day to herself. Natalie tells Jo that Elle can come to the birthday party and stay overnight with them. Jo was thrilled to hang out with friends and go to one of the local pubs. She also knew that Elle would have a great time at the party and hanging out with her aunt, uncle, and cousin.

The party is going well as the girls are having a blast skating with the characters on the ice. It's close to Christmas so there are different characters skating with the kids. When Natalie steps off the ice to attend to one of the girls who had fallen, she asks Theo to keep an eye on the other 5 girls. He agrees and starts watching them and skating. When Natalie comes back she asks if everything is okay? Theo says everything is fine, but Natalie doesn't see Elle. Elle was wearing a pink coat and pink hat, but she can't see her anywhere! She asks Theo where she is, but he's not sure. He swears she was just by his side a couple of minutes ago. Trying not to panic, she gets the other girls to skate around and look for Elle. Natalie does the same, but has no luck. She reports it to the skating rink worker and they make an announcement describing Elle's outfit. They assure Natalie that kids wander off and this happens all the time.

As time passes by and there's no luck, Natalie checks the bathroom. A young girl tells her that she thinks she saw Elle skating with a dog that had floppy ears like a beagle. When Natalie goes back to the manager to ask for this person's name, he says they only had Christmas themed characters on the ice. There were no dogs that were affiliated with the skating rink! Who was in the dog costume and did they take Elle? The police are called immediately and Natalie leaves a message on Jo's phone to call her asap. Jo finally calls back and Natalie tells her she needs to come to the rink right away. She doesn't want to tell her what's happened over the phone. Jo is devastated at the news and crumbles into tears. As much as they search there is nothing to find. Elle has vanished!

Natalie and Theo feel so guilty over what happened while they were watching Elle that they bring Jo into their home. They support her and let her live there for 10 years. There's never been any lead as to what happened to Elle. Georgia, is now almost 18 and has suffered a lot of guilt, too. She feels like her choice of skating has caused so much pain for her aunt and her parents. As the tenth anniversary of the disappearance approaches, news programs are featuring the story. Reporters are calling and hanging out at the house. If it helps find Elle, the family is okay with it. When someone starts stalking Jo they wonder if it has to do with Elle's disappearance.

Will they find Elle after all of this time? Is Elle still alive? Is everyone in the family telling the truth about what happened? I dare you to start this book and be able to put it down. This is one of the best thrillers I've read this year. I devoured this book and I absolutely loved it. There are so many twists and turns that your head will spin! Get ready for a fun ride with The Birthday Party. I rate the book 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. The Birthday Party is available now and should not be missed! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of The Birthday Party in exchange for a fair review. #TheBirthdayParty

The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland is a pulse pounding, engaging and twisty domestic thriller.

When Natalie and her husband decide to throw their daughters 8th birthday party at the ice skating rink, they had planned on a festive and happy day for their little girl and her friends. Natalie's niece Elle is invited along even though she is a few years younger. Natalie's sister Jo has entrusted her with Elle while she spends the night out at a pub. But what should have been a happy occasion celebrating turns into every parents worst nightmare when Elle disappears. Over the next ten years, Natalie is slowly being destroyed by guilt. She has spent her time trying to console her sister and praying for any lead to emerge on the search for Elle. When strange events start to happen, the search for Elle is reignited and the family is desperate for answers.

Wow!! This book was fast paced and drew me in from the beginning! The book starts off with a bang, slows down a bit in the middle, but then ramps right back up with twists and unending suspense. I was truly shocked when the perpetrator was revealed!! I really liked how Boland explored the aftermath of the abduction. The way the family suffered and the emotions of Natalie especially were very well written. And then the POV of the unnamed person was absolutely chilling! Overall a great read that I would highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Shalini Boland, and Amazon Publishing UK/ Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!!! Publication date is May 15th 2025.

This was a super short and easy read, just what I needed after reading a fantasy duology which I adored but needed a palate cleanser and change of pace!

I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Shalini so far, and this book did not disappoint. I was hooked just from reading the blurb and binged the first 40% of the book in one sitting!

This had more of a mystery vibe than the thrillers that I usually read, but I really enjoyed trying to figure out what on earth had happened to Elle and if anyone we knew in the book was to blame for it.

I didn’t expect any of the twists towards the end at all, I had thought that certain characters were suspicious but I had judged them completely wrong! And the extra little twist at the very end was a really nice touch, it felt like a bit of extra drama / tea!

Thank you Shalini, Amazon Publishing & Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Shalini Boland’s The Birthday Party is a compelling psychological thriller that delves into the haunting aftermath of a child’s disappearance. The story begins with a joyful ice-skating party celebrating Natalie’s daughter’s eighth birthday. However, the celebration turns into a nightmare when Natalie’s niece, Elle, vanishes without a trace, lured away by someone in a cartoon costume. The abduction leaves the family shattered, and the mystery remains unsolved for a decade.

As the tenth anniversary of Elle’s disappearance approaches, long-buried secrets begin to surface. Natalie and her sister Jo are forced to confront the trauma they’ve endured, and Jo becomes convinced that someone is stalking her—someone who knows the truth about that day on the ice. The narrative unfolds with mounting tension, drawing readers into a web of suspense and emotional turmoil.

Boland masterfully crafts a story filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers on edge until the very end. Her prose is sharp and engaging, effectively conveying the characters’ inner struggles and the complexities of their relationships. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter revealing new clues and deepening the mystery.

The Birthday Party is a compelling exploration of grief, guilt, and the enduring bonds of family. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers seeking a story that is both emotionally resonant and suspenseful.

It started out as six little girls gliding and giggling at the ice rink to celebrate Natalie's daughter's eighth birthday. But by Natalie's next head count, it turned into a crime scene. six children went onto the ice - now there are just five. Nobody saw her niece, Elle, being taken. Nobody saw the person in the cartoon costume lure her quietly away. Traumatised by what happened on her watch, Natalie spends the next decade supporting her sister Jo as the years since Elle's abduction tick by. But as the tenth anniversary approaches, Jo becomes convinced that someone is stalking her - someone who knows the truth about that day on the ice.

Six kids are at a skating rink for a birthday party, what could possibly go wrong? What should have been a fun event, soon turns into a nightmare. Natalie's niece, Elle, vanishes in plain sight, Ten years have passed, and Elle is still missing.

I was quickly pulled in to this fast-paced story. The twists and surprises didn't really happen until the second half of the story, and then they kept coming. I loved the final twist.

Published 12th May 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AmazonPublishingUK and the author #ShaliniBoland for my ARC of #TheBirthdayParty in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic read, when Natalie's niece goes missing at her daughters 8th birthday party what follows is 10 years of guilt and not know.

Told in past and present we find out what happened to Elle and all is not as it seems

4 stars

Thanks to net galley and the publishers

A birthday party at a skating rink during Christmas season sounds like a magical place to be.

The dream-come-true turns into a nightmare when one of the young party guests disappears into thin air. Just two ice skate prints and reports of a person in a dog costume are left to go on.

Shalini Boland gives us a new release with domestic suspense to the max. The story is told in Now and Then timelines as the ten-year anniversary of the abduction approaches.

What happened to Elle? Natalie and Theo were the parent party hosts and Elle's aunt and uncle. Their family has been struggling to recover from the tragedy for ten years. Now the anniversary is adding to their pain and suffering.

I am giving this all the stars. If one of those book characters were to appear before me right now, I would want to punch them! Well done, Shalini Boland. I need to read more of your books.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY is an incredible novel. From the first chapter, I was hooked. It’s fast-paced and kept me guessing until the very end. If you like books filled with twists and shocking moments, this book is for you.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.

A nice, easy read that pulled me in straight away. The first few chapters were filled with a sense of unease, throwing me right into the thick of it without any unnecessary waffle. I appreciated how quickly the tension built — no long-winded backstory, just straight into the drama. It felt fraught and fuelled by that creeping dread Boland does so well.
However, once the groundwork was laid, the pace began to lag. The middle of the book slowed down considerably, and it started to feel a little repetitive. I wouldn’t say it lost my interest completely, but it did plod along compared to the gripping start. The constant switch between “then” and “now” had the potential to keep things dynamic, but I found there wasn’t enough of a difference in tone or content to really separate the timelines. Other than the obvious — Georgia being eight years old in one and eighteen in the other — the events felt too similar. It made it harder than it should have been to stay anchored in which time frame I was reading, and that pulled me out of the story a few times.
Despite that, the final few chapters made it worth sticking with. The twist was genuinely shocking, and I love it when a book manages to surprise me. It was one of those reveals that makes you think back over earlier chapters, realising the clues were there all along, just subtle enough not to give the game away. The ending tied things up nicely, giving me the resolution I wanted while still delivering that final punch.
This isn’t a deep or complex thriller, but it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s an ideal choice for when you want something suspenseful but not too heavy. Boland’s writing is accessible, the plot is intriguing, and while the pacing isn’t perfect, it’s still a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.
In short, The Birthday Party is a quick, twisty domestic thriller with a fantastic beginning and a memorable ending — even if the middle does take its foot off the pedal for a while.

This is definitely a very intense and fast paced read as the danger and fear of your life changing very quickly. Addictive read and I needed to know the truth.

The book started off great then slowed down and took a while for things to get interesting again but the twists were good especially the last one

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

My thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Birthday Party’ written by Shalini Boland in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Natalie and Theo are having an ice-skating party at Bournemouth’s Gardens to celebrate their daughter Georgia’s eighth birthday when their six-year-old niece Elle disappears. She’s seen leaving with someone wearing a brown and white dog costume but there’s no sign of Elle or the person who’s taken her.

Shalini Boland is such as exceptional writer that any novel written by her is unmissable and ‘The Birthday Party’ is no exception. It’s a thriller that’s had me gripped from start to finish as it gives an account of what happened to Elle ten years go to the present time and how her family cope with her loss. The story is involving with a complex plot, plausible characters, and enough suspense, drama and heart-stopping twists and turns to ensure I keep reading. The further I get into the plot the more the tension increases until I’ve reached the conclusion that isn’t what I was expecting and has left me open-mouthed in surprise. I’ve particularly enjoyed this novel as the story is based in areas that I know well which makes the plot even more real as I can put myself in the characters’ footsteps. I had wholeheartedly recommend this thriller that’s had me enthralled from the first page to the last.

I had zero expectations when starting this book but even if I did it would still have taken me by surprise. The twist I never saw coming and didn’t even come close to figuring it out. I loved this book

The 20th psychological thriller have read by this author and so expected this to be as exciting and well written as the previous 19……and of course,it was

Some authors you just gel with their writing and style and you can pick up their new book secure in knowing it will be good

In this book we find ourselves at a birthday party at an ice skating rink where one of the kids attending is about to go missing, the shock, dread, fear and disbelief showed by the Aunty ( Natalie ) and Uncle ( Theo ) in charge of Elle ( their neice ) is done harrowingly and when Natalies Sister, Elle’s Mum ( Jo ) arrives full on panic mode ensues

We then follow the main characters as their lives are shattered by Elle’s disappearance and although they lead their lives they never really recover

But then things take a big turn….

Set in lovely BourneMouth and the immediate surrounding area the book is none stop until the end and then the end end where the….😃well, you will see

Book 20 and still as captivating as the first book I read by this talented author

Everybody loves a good birthday party, unless you're Elle or her aunt. Did not see that coming, I could not put this read down! A kidnapped child is my worst fear and here it's brought to light by someone nobody even seen.