I accidentally requested both the ebook and audiobook for The Housewarming by Kristin Offiler on NetGalley and got approved for both. So I decided to an immersive read with both and honestly, it was a great experience.
If you like your thrillers overly explained and action driven then maybe give this one a miss. However, this book offers slow burn reveals that I didn’t always see coming and excellent character development across multiple characters. The way it unfolded was captivating and I really enjoyed how it played with the missing person trope.
Thriller tropes
- missing person mystery
- everyone has a secret
- girlhood/ friendship
- multiple POVs and dual timelines but done a bit different (which i appreciated).
- nosy reporter
- who can you trust?
Overall, a great read.

Kristin Offiler's The Housewarming is a compelling psychological suspense novel that delves into the complexities of friendship, secrets, and the haunting repercussions of a long-unsolved mystery. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Block Island, the story follows four estranged friends who reunite five years after the disappearance of their friend Zoe, only to confront the shadows of their shared past. Offiler masterfully intertwines multiple perspectives, offering readers a nuanced exploration of guilt, loyalty, and the weight of unspoken truths. The narrative is further enriched by the presence of Patricia Adele, a true crime podcaster whose relentless pursuit of the truth adds tension and urgency to the unfolding drama. With its intricate plotting and emotionally resonant themes, The Housewarming is a standout debut that will captivate fans of psychological thrillers and character-driven mysteries.

What a great premise with poor execution, it started off strong but I got very bored very quickly and Dnf at 30%

This one started off great but then I lost interest. There was a lot of information that made the story drag. I kept putting it down and picking something else to read instead. I finally pushed through and found it a good ending. Just a struggle to stay engaged.

a quick listen, a bit overly dramatic for me.
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book had me hooked from start to finish. I absolutely loved the setting- it made it feed eery. I thought the narrator did a great job!

This book was reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars and the Lying Game by Ruth Ware in the best way!

A group of 5 friends who all share secrets go on a trip once a year to the place they met. This time, only 4 girls return home.

The addition of Patricia, the true crime podcaster, was such a refreshing twist on a story with some familiar tropes.

I had absolutely no concrete theories about how this book would end until it was revealed, which is the mark of a great thriller to me!

The audiobook was fabulous. The narrator was engaging and changed up her voice for different characters so much that I would actually forget it was the same narrator.

Wait a minute. Just wait a god damn minute. What the hell was that ending?! I know the stuff with the father was said, police were called but there was no final answer as to what exactly happened there... WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?! Ahhhhh.

I enjoyed the audiobook!

The story, in the beginning was actually really interesting. But towards the middle and end, it just felt really repetitive with conversations and I felt like the story wasn’t progressing the way I’d like. The ending was pretty lame tbh. And this didn’t give thriller or psychological AT ALL. This story is completely forgettable for me.

✨Audiobook Review✨
📖 The Housewarming
✍️ Kristin Offiler
🎤 Jordan Claire McCraw
📅 Publication: August 1, 2025


𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
Five friends went to Block Island for a summer getaway. Only four came back.
Five years after Zoe Gilbert’s mysterious disappearance, Callie Sutter invites her old friends Meg, Tess, and Lindsey to return to the island and confront the past. She hopes to find closure, but someone else has other plans.
Patricia Adele, a true crime podcaster who once accused the group of hiding the truth, is back with a book proposal and new allegations.
As old secrets resurface, the women must face what really happened to Zoe. But the truth might not set them free. It might destroy them.

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
Told through multiple POVs, this story follows four friends grappling with the mysterious disappearance of their friend Zoey. I really enjoyed the concept and thought the book started off strong, pulling me right in. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job. Each girl’s voice was distinct enough to easily follow who was speaking.
Unfortunately, once everything came together, the payoff felt anticlimactic. We are left to assume much of what actually happened, and the ending didn’t quite land for me. It left me more confused than satisfied. While the writing was engaging and the mystery well-paced, the resolution was a letdown.
An interesting read overall, but I wanted a stronger, more definitive conclusion

Thanks to @NetGalley and @BrilliancePublishing for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

WOW, this was such a fun one to read. This book was recommended to me by two friends and I cannot tell you how much I am thankful I read this one. This book had me guessing and reguessing the entire time. Then like any good thriller had me contemplating everything I read with the last few pages. All I all, I think this was such a good debut novel and will continue to read novels by this author!

The narrator, Jordan Claire McCraw, did a wonderful job bringing this thriller to fruition.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for both Advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really love the premise for this book. Four friends dealing the mysterious disappearance of their friend Zoey. It’s been a long 5 years since Zoey vanished after their yearly vacation, and since a nightmare podcaster tried to ruin them. Now the podcaster is back, and won’t stop until she gets the truth. This was a true slow burn, and I kept waiting for something to actually happen. I also wanted way more backstory on this friend group. The ending was a mix for me. Maybe if this was more fleshed out, it could have been more my speed.

A lot of mystery novels have an annoying reporter, but Patricia is borderline stalker.

This story kicks off quick, with Zoey missing and Patricia, a true crime blogger, immediately pointing her finger at the best friends.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fine. She did each girl’s voice just different enough to follow, but at times it was a bit monotone. I especially didn’t like the character Tess, as she always sounded like she was in a daze.

That said, there really isn’t a likable character here, but Reporter Patricia had me rooting for the girls purely because of how obnoxious she was. She’s writing a book for the five-year anniversary and is relentless in her attempts to track them down.

This book kept me guessing because as much as I didn’t want it to be one of the friends, I found it odd they weren’t really asking questions about what actually happened to Zoey. It’s clear they’re hiding something. Rather than focus on Zoey’s story, though, it’s more about dodging Patricia.

Once it all comes together, it’s rather anticlimactic. We’re kind of just left to assume what actually happened, and I found everything about the ending a letdown.

This story had potential, but the ending really lacked impact. I didn’t see it coming, but instead of shock value, my reaction was simply, “That’s it?”

Thanks to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing and Brilliance Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

I went into the this read blind, and it was pretty good for the most part.
5 friends vacationing on Block Island think it’s just another year of fun, but when one of them goes missing, nothing is ever the same. The four girls left are blamed for their friend’s disappearance, and their relationships are shattered. 5 years later they are called back to the island to remember their long lost friend. Will all be revealed?
The answer is, no. Not all is revealed. Loved the getting there of this book, but the ending fell flat. Still enjoyed it, but it felt like this could have been wrapped up better.
Thank you netgalley for this arc!

The housewarming is the PERFECT summer read! This book has the whole missing person mystery set up perfectly. I was totally hooked by the first sentence until the last. It had amazing pacing and a well written narrative of all the characters. The narrator did an amazing job with the voices of each character.

Thank you so much netgalley & Brilliance audio!

Kristin Offiler weaves a tense and layered story of friendship, loss, and the dangerous pull of the past. Years after a summer trip ended in tragedy, the surviving friends are drawn back to Block Island—along with a relentless true crime podcaster who has never stopped insisting they know more than they’ve admitted. The shifting dynamics, old resentments, and slow reveal of long-held secrets kept me invested from start to finish. A compelling mix of mystery and true crime drama that delivers a satisfying dose of suspense.

Thank you Kristin Offiler, Thomas and Mercer, Brilliance Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#TheHousewarming #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARCReview #BookReview #WhatImReading #BookRecommendation #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #InstaBook #Bookish #AdvanceReaderCopy #ReviewCopyProvided #BookishThoughts #ReviewersOfInstagram

The Housewarming was a perfect summer time beach read. I enjoyed this from start to finish and thought the story was well plotted out and executed at a high level.

Overall, this was an engaging and well-written mystery, though the ending left me wanting more.

I enjoyed the ride for most of the book. The multiple POVs worked well, offering distinct perspectives from the women in a once-tight friend group that fractured after their friend went missing five years earlier. Each voice added something to the unfolding puzzle, and the dynamics between them kept me interested.

Ironically, while listening to this audiobook, I was also reading another eARC with a nearly identical premise — and yes, my brain was a little scrambled at first! Once I set the other book aside, I was able to follow the story clearly. The reveal of the culprit did catch me by surprise, but it wasn’t a random twist; the clues were there, making it feel plausible rather than pulled from thin air.

The audiobook was narrated by Jordan Claire McCraw, whose performance was serviceable but not exceptional. Her delivery was deliberate and slightly slow, and her naturally high-pitched voice became even higher when sped up. While I did get used to it, the narration didn’t enhance the prose, and in hindsight, I think I would have enjoyed reading the physical copy more.

The book is already out, and if you’re looking for a mystery with strong summer vibes, it’s worth picking up — just be prepared that the ending might not land as strongly as the journey.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Brilliance Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as I don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again

Great beach read. The characters friendships are deep and well thought out. The possibilities for what could have happened to Zoe keep you guessing.