I enjoyed this book. It is well-written, and you just have to keep reading. Rachel is married to Gareth, and they live in The Vines, an exclusive, snobbish little close of wealthy, or seemingly wealthy people. There is a lot wrong with their marriage, Gareth barely talks to Rachel, and spends all his time tucked away in his office at home or at work. Their son Robbie is a college student, and is usually out with friends, so Rachel is lonely. Sadly, that causes her to start an affair with one of their friends Ted, a man whose marriage is crumbling. She feels very guilty, and the affair does not last long, but it is the catalyst for the chain of events in this story.

After the party at a neighbours house, where Rachel believes she was drugged and raped as she recalls absolutely nothing about the party, but wakes up bruised and sore in a spare bedroom. She feels very frightened, and knows that someone is watching her. The police cannot find any clues as to who the perpetrator might be, so their investigation winds down, and Rachel tries to find out herself. This leads to all sorts of revelations and misdirection. There are other shocks to come, some maybe a little predictable, others not so much. I found the ending quite heartbreaking, not what I expected at all.

Well worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I was looking forward to reading The Party having read Lisa Hall's previous books.
The story was easy to read and gripping from start to finish. There were quite a few people to get acquainted with, but none of them were particularly endearing, except perhaps for Robbie, Rachel's son. Each character had their own little secret to bring to the party, all adding threads to the knot to be unravelled. As the story unfolded and perpetrators were being ruled out, I had a few ideas about the who's and why's but I didn't guess which of the outcomes until the very end. It was quite a chilling plot, leaving the reader plenty to think about.
The ending wasn't quite conclusive enough for me, it left the reader to think ahead for themselves. If I could give four and a half stars on account of this I would, but I will round up and not down.

Brilliant book. I was totally hooked from the beginning. Loved how the twist and turns kept you guessing to the end. This is my first book I've read by Lisa Hall and it definitely won't be the last. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book

Not a thriller, but a relatively gripping read regardless. Tells of the events in the aftermath of a party, where a rape takes place. The story line was good, although it was frustrating that the police were portrayed as disinterested and Rachel had to investigate alone. I guessed the rapist half way through, but was interested to see how the story would be wrapped up. A good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and to HQ for providing me an ARC copy of this book that I freely chose to review.
This is an unsettling novel. It starts with a woman, Rachel, who wakes up after a New Year’s Eve party not remembering what has happened and feeling quite vulnerable, and as she tries to get her bearings and find out what went on, while keeping face (as she’s in one of her neighbours’ houses and feels more than a little embarrassed), she comes to realise that something horrible has taken place. The author’s use of first-person narration immerses the readers in Rachel’s mind and makes us share in her fear, confusion, and contradictory feelings. There is physical evidence that something has happened to her, but she cannot recall what, or who might have done the deed.
The story moves between the immediate aftermath of the story, in chronological order, and interspersed chapters that share the events prior to the party, always from the protagonist’s point of view, but they don’t reach into the faraway past and only takes us a few months back, giving us some background that helps us understand why the people closest to Rachel (especially her husband, Gareth) react as they do to the events.
In the present time, somebody starts playing with the protagonist, in a game of cat-and-mouse (which sometimes takes on gaslighting characteristics) and manages to make her doubt herself and everybody around her, from mere acquaintances to those closest and dearest to her. The first-person point of view works well at making readers feel the claustrophobia, paranoia, anxiety, and sheer terror of not knowing who to trust and seeing your whole life crumble around you.
The book, which fits into the domestic noir category, uses well some of the tropes of the genre, including the protagonist who feels trapped and not taken seriously by the police and therefore has to do her own investigating. There are also plenty of red herrings and a number of credible suspects that make us keep turning the pages to see what will happen next, although readers of thrillers will probably guess who the culprit is (I did).
On the negative side, personally, I did not feel a connection to the characters, particularly Rachel. I empathised with her circumstances, and with the terrible crime she has survived, but I did not feel there is enough information provided about her to create a credible individual. One of the other characters at some point talks about her belief that she is a strong woman, and I wondered what that was based on, as we are only given snippets of her current life and her recent past, and nothing that makes her come alive (What does she like? What did she do before she got married? Does she have any passions, apart from her relationships? She has a friend but other than calling her for support, there is no indication of what that friendship is based on). She does things that are morally questionable, but that was not my issue (I have long defended unlikable main characters, but I still need to feel that they are real, somehow). I wondered if this was intentional, trying to make sure that everybody would be able to identify with Rachel and her plight, rather than making her too distinctive and individual, but, for me at least, the opposite is the truth, and we know enough about her to make her different from us, but not perhaps to make us feel as if we know who she is. This would not bother me so much in a standard plot-driven thriller, but when the book depends so closely on the protagonist’s voice and on her sense of identity, it didn’t gel for me. There were also some things that I thought readers who are not fond of first-person narratives might find annoying (like the character looking at herself in the mirror as a way of providing us a description, something that is frown upon in general writing advice, and a leaning towards telling rather than showing in the bulk of the writing).
The novel moves at a good pace, it creates doubt and hesitation in the readers’ minds, and it has a good sense of timing. And the ending will probably satisfy most fans of the genre. It also touches on an important and, sadly, topical subject, although it does not cover new ground. It brought to my mind C.L.Taylor’s The Fear and I noticed the author, Lisa Hall, had reviewed that novel. I have not read the author’s previous books, but I am curious to see how this compares to her other novels.
A page-turner I recommend to lovers of domestic noir, particularly those who enjoy claustrophobic and unsettling first-person narratives.

A trigger warning is vital here as the entire plot focuses on the investigation of a violent rape. Lisa Hall does not dwell on the graphic details of the incident, and handles the aftermath with sensitivity and understanding, however the details she does give are very authentic and could possibly be triggering to someone who has been through this traumatic experience.

On to the book…!

Wow! This story had me hooked from the very first paragraph. The reader is placed firmly in Rachel’s shoes as she wakes up with no memory of events and must piece together what has happened to her as the plot progresses.

The story is told through flashbacks to before the party, brief glimpses of Rachel’s memories of the party itself, and a ‘present’ narrative as Rachel investigates and deals with the aftermath of what was done to her. The timeframes are clearly labelled in the chapter headings and therefore not confusing at all (as these things can sometimes be) and the writing keeps up a brisk pace that ratchets the tension throughout.

Hall gives just enough hints and clues to allow the reader to play along with the investigation, whilst still springing some unexpected twists along the way. Every character has their own secret, which may or may not be related to the main plot, and I guessed some but was WAY off the mark on others, which was great fun (I hate a predictable read!). Also unpredictable was the ending, which comes full circle to the prologue, but still managed to surprise me. I was really left pondering the morality of the issue, as hot gut instinct warred with my cooler logical head.

As an aside, in this book Hall creates just about the creepiest delusional stalker I have ever read, to the point where I felt helpless, frightened and frustratingly rageful every time he popped up in Rachel’s personal space with a leer and a suggestive comment. *Shudders*

Definitely recommended to anyone who likes a quick, accomplished, domestic thriller-mystery that is almost unbearably authentic.




Something happened. Something bad. That’s the first thought that swims vaguely through my mind as I struggle my way into full consciousness. Followed by the realization that, I don’t know what, but I know it’s not good. My head hurts. I try to open my eyes, the feeble wash of winter sunshine that tries to force its way through the lining of the curtains making me squint in pain. My head hurts and I feel really, really sick. I close my eyes again, willing the thud at my temples to die down and let me go back to sleep, before I crack one eye open again, a vague sense of uneasiness making me reluctant to keep them closed.
Where am I?…

– Lisa Hall, The Party

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

A perfect psychological thriller! Rachel wakes up on new years day in a strange room, with no memory of what happened after she greeted the hosts at the party but a feeling something terrible happened.... Intriguing from the start this novel engulfs you in Rachel's scared, vulnerable world. Her determination to find out exactly what happened calls the trust of her family and closest friends into question, who is lying? What are they hiding? Heart-racing and heart-breaking this novel is a must have read.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Stories for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

The Party is a tense thriller focusing on the aftermath of a party during which Rachel, the main character is attacked. There are several possible suspects and red herrings galore. I guessed the attacker before I was half way through as I couldn’t otherwise explain to myself why he kept featuring. Although I enjoyed the book, I couldn’t help but think that Rachel’s determination to investigate the attack herself was not plausible.

I requested this book as from the blurb I thought it sounded like a cult type event that had occurred at the party and the protagonist, Rachel, would have to piece together all the weirdness. Unfortunately, this is not what I got as this is about the aftermath of a rape.

Despite my disappointment at discovering this was not a culty book, I was then further disappointed by how utterly boring this book actually is.

The writing is clunky and cliched (I counted four times where the line "she let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding" was used). The characters are all deplorable, and there is no suspense in this at all.

I found the entire book predictable and dull.

This review contains spoilers.
There is a thriller out almost every day. It's inevitable that they'll be similar in some extent. But you expect some sort of shine or glimmer of interest to keep you engaged in a book and unfortunately this book didn't have that bling for me.

This is a story of a woman who works out that she's been raped during a party in a friend's house. She is middle aged, have a husband, an ex-lover, and a stalker. Too much drama. If there wasn't the creep Aaron in the story, I'd probably push this up to 3 stars. But it's a bit cringy. The character Aaron is so obviously a red herring. Some parts made my eyes roll. The characters are flat. Story didn't grip me.
Sorry I didn't like this book. 2 stars.

This book is a gripping read, full of fascinating characters and will keep you guessing with all the mystery and tensions.
Rachel wakes up, after a New Years Eve party, in a strange bed and with little memory of what happened the night before. She is naked from the waist down and covered in bruises. Why can’t she remember anything from that night? The story is told in short chapters, before and after the eventful night and introduces all the different characters involved in Rachel’s life including her husband, her ex boyfriend, neighbours and a man who is obsessed with her. There are various stories and sub plots which unfold as the book progresses, keeping you guessing and changing your mind many times. A lot of the people at the party had secrets and lies that they are hiding, including Rachel. This is an excellent book, which you will not be able to put down, highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved this book! So much I finished in a day. I couldn't put it down! The author drew me in from the very start Rachel being attacked at a party, she doesnt realise until the next day when she wakes up but has no recollection of who attacked her. High paced who done it that had more twists and turns with an unexpected ending.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Rachel, who wakes up in a strange room, the morning after a neighbour's party, with no memory of what happened the night before. Why did her husband leave her alone at the party? Did they row? Why are Rachel's arms so bruised? And why are her neighbours and friends so vague about what really happened? Little by little, Rachel pieces together the devastating events that took place in a friend's house, at a party where she should of been safe. Everyone remembers what happened that night differently, and everyone has something to hide. But someone knows the truth about what happened to Rachel. And she's determined to find them.

This was a first time read from this author and I wasn't disappointed!

The whole concept of this book was rather frightening to be honest! Imagine waking up in a strange room, half naked, covered in bruises and have no memory of what happened! I instantly felt so scared for the main character and found myself just as desperate, as her, to find out what had happened. I was so caught up in Rachel's story, as well as being genuinely scared for her at the same time. A truly heart-stopping read!

While I hated her husband, Rachel was a character that I thought was written so incredibly well by Lisa Hall. It was heart-stopping to read her story and I truly felt her terror, frustrations and anger as I was reading!

I'm definitely gonna be reading more from this author! A must read!

Well written thriller that takes us in turn to the build up and aftermath of The Party.

Rachel, a married mum with one son wakes up after a NYE party knowing she’s been attacked. But the evening is a total blur

Rachel does her own investigation along with the police and we are left guessing to the end.

The premise of this book was very good. A woman wakes from a party to find she has been raped but has literally no memory from the time she arrives at the party to when she awakes! You could really imagine how you would feel in her situation, suspicious of every male you knew, fearful, embarrassed etc I just didn't really like any of the characters, she seemed selfish and non involved with her family, her husband came across as very abusive and as for Ted he just seemed weak and a home wrecker. Aaron was just spiteful and creepy. There was also a mention of Amy pretending not to see Rach as she drove by but this went absolutely nowhere - in fact never mentioned again!? Despite all this I did read to the end and wasn't too surprised once the perpetrator was unveiled.

Imagine waking up in your neighbours spare room following a New Year’s Eve party at their house and not remembering anything about the night before . This is what happens to Rachel following a New Year’s Eve party and she know something bad has happened but she can’t remember anything .

This is a psychological thriller that I did enjoy but it wasn’t as gripping as I expected it to be . Probably because I correctly guessed the outcome very early on in the story . The constant references to vomiting was getting a bit annoying also . 3.5 stars for me

I have to confess the content of this novel was uncomfortable at times and some of the characters were distinctly shallow and decadent. Rachel and her husband Gareth are a wealthy couple who appear to have a synthetic marriage and live separate lives; both troubled but in different ways. After the party, Rachel discovers herself in a strange bed but has no recall of the party because she was too kettled or drugged. Physical injuries communicate that she's been assaulted. The police are informed, but there's so little evidence. Rachel determines to investigate by asking the other party members - her superficial, artificial friends. They were all either too drunk or anxious to hide their private misdemeanours that she struggles to reach any conclusions. The suspects and suspicions line up. Meanwhile, she's aware of being "watched" and threatened in a variety of chilling ways. It is making her paranoid. Who assaulted her and why? The tension mounts and the ending is unexpected and shocking. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ.

Excellent storyline. Wonderful main characters. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it highly.

I loooovvvveeeddddd Lisa Halls previous book, this one was excellent and drew me in straight away however it did lack a bit of the shock factor ! It was a great gripping book that I didn’t want to finish! I did guess the ending which I was very proud of!!

Rachel wakes up the morning after a New Years Party at her neighbours and doesn't know where she is, she is bruised and half naked and has no idea why she is in the neighbours spare room, nor why she is on her own. This is a good psychological thriller as we follow Rachel trying to find out what happened that night. Definitely recommend.