A very good read that keeps you turning the pages. So much happens in this book , from a young child going missing at a birthday party and her mother being attacked, the book doesn’t disappoint and has enough twists to keep the reader gripped. One to read

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture, and Author Wendy Dranfield for this ARC.There was a lot to keep track of but it was well organized.All in all it was a good read.

Oh boy, the birthday party certainly held a mixture of emotions for me… aside from the mystery and constantly trying to piece all those puzzle pieces together it was filled with heart-ache, sadness, a definite edge of your seat psychological thriller with a mix of an ending in some ways it was heartbreaking but in other ways it was happy in a way.

I absolutely loved this book, it was written brilliantly with characters you instantly were compelled into loving.

With a bunch of different things that had happened throughout the course of main characters Kathy life, the way each segment was then pieced together was equally brilliant as it was shocking.

Amazing read!

The Birthday Party is a gripping story about a young girl who goes missing from a birthday party. On the same day, her mom is brutally attacked. We follow the detective, Chase Cooper, as he tries to solve the case before little Charlie runs out of time.

While some of the connections that came to light throughout the story seemed almost too coincidental, I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Again, I am reading fiction, so sometimes those twists just make the story a bit more enjoyable. Our main character is Kathy, and man, I don’t know how she’s made it through life up to this point! Things get a bit crazier for her and yet we see some closure at the end.

This was my first read by Wendy Dranfield, but I will definitely be adding more to my TBR! Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Wendy Dranfield for this gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hmm. This is twisty! That revelation floored me! Fellows, that made a mark! So good!

Cheers to Netgalley for the copy!

A book that will have you turning the pages. I found that it flowed easily and had me guessing. SO many twists and turns that I couldnt keep up with it all. Highly recommend.

I had a tough time getting in to this slow starting book, but once I did I found it to just be ok. Maybe it’s the topic that made it hard for this mom of three to love, but there were many twists and turns that could easily draw in another reader.

Having previously read and enjoyed the authors Detective Madison Harper crime series, I was keen to read this stand alone thriller and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. There were so many twists and turns in this book, it was a rollercoaster of a read and one that had me gripped from beginning to end. It was well written, excellent characters, and a captivating storyline. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thanks netgalley for this book, a really good mystery and police thriller.
Charlie is five and is going to a birthday party at her uncles house, she is terribly excited as there will be a pony there and she loves ponies.
Megan drops her off at the party, amd everyone said they will look after her.
When Kathy her mother goes to pick her she cannot be found.
This leads to very sad consequences and turns into a very good thriller and excellent police characters.
Yes loved it very much.

Wow, there’s so much to say to about this book! This is more than just a missing child book, there are so many twists and turns and interweaving complexities to the stories of the characters in this novel.

This was a first for me by this author, and I’ll certainly be seeking out her books in the future. This book had me totally consumed, and I just read it non-stop for hours.

It seems that everyone has a secret to hide in this book, some innocent, some not so, and everyone became a potential suspect in my mind as I read on.

At times shocking and brutal, this book pulls no punches and it’s a total rollercoaster of a read. Be warned that you won’t be able to put it down once it pulls you in, so make sure you set time aside for it! A total page-turner, completely addictive, a great thriller to start the new year with.

Hmmm well where do I start?

The cover drew my straight in. Sat on a bookstore shelf ai would head straight for it and it would be in my basket!
The blurb sounded right up my street. Suspenseful, thrilling, missing child.. tick, tick, tick.

So why did it feel so flat?

It's taken me a while to figure it out BUT I honestly think there were SO many twists and turns thrown in that it took it away from the actual plot. It actually started to feel a bit ridiculous.

I'm very much a 'grab my attention quick' reader and unfortunately this just didn't do it. I stayed with it but it took until around 60% to actually pick up any pace and by that point I could have quite easily put it away never to be picked up again.

1.5*

Thank you to netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

I am a huge fan of Wendy's books. They never disappoint and neither did this. If you like twists you will be ecstatic. In this book, the twists have twists.. Highly recommend.

A stunning piece of writing, this book kept me engaged from beginning to end, the plot was well thought out and the characters were very well written, full of intrigue and plot twists, no one really seems to be who you think they are and theirs secrets are revealed through the book

Holy Smokes…

I’m not sure I have the words. What a crazy heartbreaking ride. This book was so twisted, I may have whiplash from reading.

I could not put it down. Ohmahgawd…

I’m gobsmacked. Just absolutely gobsmacked. This author is flipping OUTSTANDING. The way she weaves a twisted tale will blow your mind. And man this one just about gutted me.

Everything. For me, it brought me out of the routine of my life and took me on a thrilling ride from beginning to end.
The writing was well calculated to take the reader to the zenith of the roller-coaster ride. The subplots were well planned by the author. I imagined she had a white board that helped her to keep all the characters in line and make them do nefarious acts.
The swirling world of secrets kept the book feel like the kernels of popcorn where one would burst out of the book, wickedly delicious.
Emotions were well balanced, was happy that the author did not go overboard.
This was a cleverly written thriller where the author placed the characters at the right place, then brought in some new ones to deliver the secrets which others couldn’t have discovered on time.

So slow to start I did nearly give up, but once it got going it just blew me away!! So well written and with some shocking twists it just kept me on tenterhooks the whole time!
When little Charlie goes missing from her cousins birthday party, the whole town becomes a suspect!! However, the lies that the family keep telling and the truths Detective Chase keeps uncovering, the red herrings and twists just kept me guessing!!
I loved it!! Absolutely spectacular!!

The Birthday Party was a book that set off a little mmmm but turned out as the story developed into a decent thriller.
Kathy Hamilton drops her daughter Charlie off at her sister in laws house, it’s their child’s birthday party and everyone’s there. Kathy’s last image of Charlie is of her on a pony happy as could be. This changes very quickly as after attending an appointment with her husband they discover that the babysitter hasn’t picked Charlie up and they can’t get in touch with her. The day ends with Charlie missing and everyone being a suspect. Where is the babysitter and why does her husband have a different shirt on to this morning??
This was a decent thriller, I enjoyed the drip feed style of the revelations as it kept it fresh and moving forwards. Everything seemed to fit together neatly at the end and I had no questions unanswered.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book, even though I loathe the subject of missing children! The author did a phenomenal job writing this twisty read! She made me feel some emotions I hated, but also got me a couple of times! Look forward to more of her work!!! Highly, highly recommend!

I was given an ARC of this book but forgot to download it before the link expired. The book sounded interesting so I paid to purchase it. I am so glad that I did. Kathy dropped her daughter, Charlie, off at a birthday party for Charlie’s twin cousins. The party is over the top with clowns, ponies, a bounce house and plenty of alcohol for the adults. Charlie disappears from the party and no one can remember the last time they saw her. As the investigation progresses, it seems like everyone involved has secrets they are withholding from the police and the family. To me it was a five star or more book. I did figure out some of the plot twists but others surprised me. I would recommend The Birthday Party without reservation!

Thank you, NetGalley for giving me a chance to preview this book! It was a page-turner from beginning to end.

Five-year-old Charlie disappears at her twin cousin's birthday party. Who is responsible? Is Charlie dead or alive?

The list of suspects is long, and there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. I did not guess the ending.

It was a fast, easy read. I would highly recommend! Four stars!