The Beach Party
Escape to Mallorca with the hottest, twistiest thriller of 2023
by Nikki Smith
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Pub Date 30 Jun 2023 | Archive Date Not set
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Description
Six friends.
The holiday of their dreams.
One night that changed it all . . .
1989: The tunes are loud and the clothes are louder when a group of friends arrives in Mallorca for a post-graduation holiday of decadence and debauchery at a luxury villa.
A beach party marks the pinnacle of their fun, until it isn’t fun any longer. Because amidst the wild partying, sand flying from dancing feet and revellers leaping from yachts, an accident happens. Suddenly, the night of a lifetime becomes a living nightmare.
Now: The truth about that summer has been collectively buried. But someone knows what happened that night.
And they want the friends to pay for what they did.
Paperback released 20th July 2023, eBook 30 June.
Advance Praise
‘Prepare to be utterly seduced by this gloriously immersive summer read. Secrets, revelations and twists aplenty!’ Lesley Kara
‘Sun-soaked, fast-paced and almost unbearably tense, this is the perfect holiday page turner’ Ellery Lloyd
‘The Beach Party features a compelling cast, including Nina, who skilfully manipulates this reader in the same way as she manipulates her friends. With a to-die-for setting and elegant prose, this scorcher is a must-have holiday read’ Fiona Cummins
‘Propulsive read which delivers a real punch. Coercive friendships in ‘89 and now are dissected with skill by Nikki Smith in this cautionary tale. I could not look away!’ Amanda Reynolds
‘I read through my fingers as a dream summer turns into a scorching hot nightmare. Thrilling, twisting and gloriously ‘80s, The Beach Party is a heart-stopping read’ Chris Whitaker
‘This is one party you won’t want to end, Nikki Smith has crafted a ‘holiday goes wrong’ story that will blast other beach reads out of the water. I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Lord Of The Flies in a dark, pacy, thriller that dials the jeopardy up to eleven’ Trevor Wood
‘I loved the late 80s setting, the songs and outfits of my era! As always, strong writing and sharp plotting from Nikki Smith. Five stars!’ Louise Beech/Swanson
‘Watch out for what has to be one of the best thrillers of 2023 . . . Almost unbearable tension, brilliantly paced, beautifully composed, with a dark and compelling cast of characters. Breathtaking . . . A truly gripping novel from a gifted storyteller. One of the best thrillers of the year, I’m sure!!’ Louise Fein
‘Wow! It’s only 5th January and I’m pretty sure I’ve just finished one of the best thrillers I’ll read this year’ Emma Curtis
‘Just finished reading a preview of The Beach Party – what a page turner! Dark and twisting with complex characters and such atmospheric writing, I could feel the Mallorcan heat’ Francis Quinn
‘Another stunning psychological thriller from Nikki Smith. Her incredible prose drew me in from the very first line, and I found myself utterly immersed in the rich setting and intriguing lives of the characters. Nikki builds up her world and plot layer by complex layer, leading you twist by clever twist to a deeply satisfying conclusion. A brilliant achievement by one of the best psych thriller writers around. LOVED IT!’ Philippa East
‘There are Swatches, Walkmans, hair crimping, spraying, Madonna and of course murderous goings on. If you loved the ‘80s you are going to love this book’ Jo Callaghan
‘A propulsive thriller packed with secrets, deceit and characters you’ll love to hate, plus a whole lot of ‘80s nostalgia thrown in. You won’t be able to stop reading! I was hooked from the first page and felt like I was right there on the beach that night’ Lauren North
‘Crazily addictive. Nikki perfectly evokes Mallorca in a book that explores the devastating consequences of one bad decision. Impossibly tense with brilliantly drawn characters, Nikki expertly examines human nature at its worst. All the stars!’ Emma Christie
‘A sizzling summer thriller packed with secrets (and ‘80s nostalgia!) that I guzzled down in a couple of sittings. Nikki Smith’s best book yet!’ Laura Marshall
‘A heart-pounding exploration of manipulation, power, trust and the follies of youth, set against a glamorous Mallorcan backdrop. A note-perfect Summer thriller’ Lizzy Barber
‘This has all the hallmarks of a scorching, claustrophobic beach thriller’ Charlotte Philby
‘A fantastic psychological thriller set in the Mediterranean, Nikki Smith draws you in with her vivid descriptions, complex characters and twisting plot, keeping you guessing until the final page. Brilliantly written and emotionally charged with plenty of dark secrets to unearth along the way’ Jenny Quintana
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9780241606919 |
| PRICE | £8.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 416 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
stefanie l, Reviewer
I’ve loved all of Nikki’s books but my gosh, this is her best yet!
Perfectly plotted, brilliantly tense, and utterly addictive - I gobbled it up in less than 24 hours!
As the Spanish sun beat down on me from above and the characters came alive before my eyes I had to keep reading! On completion I was startled to see the grey November day outside my window, yes it’s that immersive!
Francesca W, Reviewer
Short, punchy chapters really add to the tension in this nail-biter of a read. My fingernails are ripped to shreds! I really took a liking to all the characters, in a weird sort of way as some are more likeable than others, and I kept shouting at them as their situation kept getting stickier and stickier. The ending was a surprise for me… I did think things were going to head in a different direction. All in all, if you like a good ol’ thriller with some sexy characters and a apprehensive storyline, then ‘The Beach Party’ is one for you.
joanne D, Librarian
Absolutely brilliant! There is nothing I did not like about this cracking thriller were friends from University go to stay in Nina's family villa for one last blow out before the 'real world'
This book is set in present and past and that blends together so well - I could hear the music and see the fashions from the 90's!
There is so much mystery and suspense in this book I don't know where to start - it just fizzed off the pages.
The publication date is set for summer and this is the perfect summertime read - brilliant.
Book Trade Professional 610399
I LOVED Nikki's first two books, but THE BEACH PARTY is far and away my favorite of hers. The nostalgia, the moral dilemma, the lush Mallorcan setting... this book is a holiday on paper, whisking you away to a sunny place with a dark edge. Five stars.
Nauld D, Reviewer
What an awesome read I could not put this down thank you so much for this opportunity to review. Would recommend to others
Media/Journalist 757181
Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. This book is a winner!
Elly M, Reviewer
A fantastic thriller filled with twists and revelations. The plotting was superb, I couldn't put it down and the characters were really well developed, a very wry look at toxic friendship and the lifelong impact of them. Highly recommend a very satisfying ending.
Lauren N, Book Trade Professional
A propulsive thriller packed with secrets, deceit, and characters you’ll love to hate, plus a whole lot of 80s nostalgia thrown in! You won’t be able to stop reading! I was hooked from the first page and felt like I was right there on the beach that night.
An Englishteacher w, Educator
Firstly, thank you to Netgalley, Penguin General UK and Nikki Smith for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
This is the first book I’ve read from Nikki Smith and it won’t be the last! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an action packed thriller! It was a fast paced and kept me reading well into the night! I found myself guessing what could happen next and I could not have predicted the ending.
This book should be on everyone’s TBR list in 2023 and a great book for any psychological thrillers fans alike. Overall, I throughly enjoyed this book and all the plot twists that it presented.
10/10
Reviewer 1086585
I stayed up all night trying to finish this book.I thought it was a little too unrealistic at first because there were so many secrets and it was hard to keep track of whose they were but as i progressed it got better.Highly recommend.
Angela N, Reviewer
Really enjoyed The Beach Party, i believe its the first book I've read by Nikki Smith but i'll definitely check out her others. The Majorcan setting and storyline kept me pulled in and wondering what was about to happen and what past events led to the conclusions. The conclusion was pretty nailbiting and I couldn't wait to understand what had happened. Recommended.
Rosie W, Book Trade Professional
Wow! The Beach Party was mind-blowing from start to finish. So many twists and turns, secrets and lies! There were moments when I had to put it down and take a breath because it was so tense, but I couldn't wait long before picking it up again because I NEEDED to know what happened next. A highly recommended thriller, five stars!
Bookseller 909688
What a wild read this was, thoroughly enjoyed it, was pulled into the story from the first page and what a ride it was….
Kara F, Reviewer
I was hooked on this story, I couldn’t put it down once I started.
I really enjoyed this book, I liked the characters they felt really developed and real. It had a few twists and I was wondering the whole way who was the murderer. It was well paced and held my attention. Was a good thriller beach read
Louise W, Reviewer
I read this as an ARC through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was absolutely blown away by how good this was!
I don't give 5 stars easily, but this had me hooked.
Six friends go away to a luxury villa in Mallorca for a two week break. What can possibly go wrong?.....
There were some wonderfully rich, believable characters with their individual flaws and assests.
I really loved the references to some of the 80s must haves! Walkmans, swatches, shimmery pink lipstick, ra ra skirts, and so on! It added real authenticity!
It is told through different pov's and across two timelines, 1989 and now.
This story is a really punchy, twisty, turny journey with horrors and happiness throughout and an ending that I didn't see coming!
I highly recommend it 🌟
Reviewer 823951
This is the story of six friends and what happened in 1989. All troubled people with secrets and keeps great pace as you try to work out who’s guilty of what. I loved the subtle references to the 80’s -the songs, mix tapes, Swatch, ra-ra skirts - 10/10 for research!
The tension builds up nicely throughout the book and all comes together nicely at the end. Top marks ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reviewer 1114027
I tore through this one very quickly. This really is your perfect summer read for the sultry days and nights ahead. Recommended!
Sarah W, Librarian
The Beach Party is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Beach Party asap.
Lindsey B, Reviewer
Another brilliant book by Nikki! Twisty, dark storyline with brilliantly written characters. Loved that part of it was set in the 80’s, some great references and the dual timeline was good. Didn’t see the ending coming and had no idea!
michelle w, Reviewer
Once you start this you’ll not want to stop reading it! A thrill a minute as these daft 20 year olds have the time of their lives in Mallorca with all sorts of horrible consequences. 30 years later one of them has to pay - karma time and it’s a great twist right at the end. Loved it!! It’ll be a great summer beach read, although you might not want to go for a boat trip!
Thank you to the publishers the author and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
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