THE PARTY
LISA HALL
****
When Rachel wakes up after a New Years Party she has the feeling that something bad has happened to her. With no memory of the previous night, she tries to piece together what happened – but how many of those closest to her are hiding secrets?
The Party has a great yet completely terrifying premise - to wake up after a party feeling like you may have been attacked is bad enough, but to have to suspect those you love and trusted is horrifying. I enjoyed the dual timelines of what happened before and after the party that slowly come together to solve the puzzle.
I felt that although the supporting cast of characters were strong and well written, Rachel herself wasn’t that much of an interesting character. I think this may have helped in projecting yourself into her shoes but I did wonder at a lot of her choices and wish we had been given more of an introduction to her to explain why she does what she does. There are a lot of red herrings and I must admit I didn’t correctly guess what had happened until right near the end. The story is an easy read and kept my interest the whole way through although I did feel that the pace dragged in places without an over-abundance of plot to carry it. There are also a few holes in the plot which come with trying to create a twist-ending that will shock most of your readers. The ending in particular comes out of nowhere and feels very rushed.
Overall The Party has a great premise and is an easy read, just with a few flaws in pacing in places. Thank you to NetGalley and HQStories for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Party-gripping-psychological-thriller-bestseller-ebook/dp/B06W5RT7JD/