WOW! Just WOW! I loved this book by new-to-me author Wendy Dranfield and, although it is not my usual choice of setting as I tend to stick to British or Australian set books (simply because there are so many out there I have limit myself to my favourite setting...and those being Britain and Australia), I was completely immersed from the very beginning. Yes, it is of a missing child (of which there are many, I know) and yes there are plenty of secrets to unravel amidst the lies and deception...but WOW! If THE BIRTHDAY PARTY is anything to go by, I think I might have to add Wendy Dranfield to my list of authors...despite the continent difference! lol

A birthday party is supposed to be a happy occasion, an exciting time for children with loads of fun and food. In this case, it was adorned with every novelty imaginable for a child from jumping castles, pony rides, face painting and swimming to clowns and even fire eaters! It was a child's heaven. And 5 year old Charlotte "Charlie" Hamilton had been looking forward to her twin cousins' birthday party for weeks. It was all she could talk about.

So when the day came around, Charlie dressed herself in her red dress with zebras complete with yellow shorts underneath (for reasons only a 5 year old would know...lol), cowboy boots, cowboy hat and little blonde pigtails. Mum Kathy has no sooner pulled up outside her brother-in-law Scott's house when Charlie jumps out of the car and races around the side of the house to where all the fun and action is! And it doesn't take her long to discover the pony for which she lines up for a ride almost immediately. With so many adults in attendance, Kathy is certain her daughter will be safe at the party amongst the other children overseered by all the other parents. She takes a few minutes to say hello and give her good wishes to the birthday twins before making her escape. Having arranged for babysitter Megan to collect Charlie when the event is over, Kathy then heads to the refuge where she volunteers despite the migraine that continues to pound her head before keeping an important appointment with husband Mitch at 4pm.

Little did they know...

Several hours later, Kathy and Mitch arrive home to discover that Megan and Charlie aren't there when the party should well and truly be over. They try calling Megan on her mobile phone. No answer. They return to the party where all the children have now gone as have the entertainment and all that remains are a few inebriated adults with no clue as to where Charlie is or when they last saw her. Frantic with worry, Kathy calls the police to report her daughter's disappearance.

Enter Detective Chase Cooper. He and Kathy knew each other decades ago back in high school and used to date, much to her snobbish parents' chagrin as they saw him as being from "the wrong side of the tracks". But for the privileged Kathy, Chase was her first love and although she tried hiding their relationship it all went terribly wrong and she is devastated when it fell apart. But despite their history, Chase immediately begins the search for Charlie at Scott and Cindy's house, its sprawling grounds and beyond whilst trying to ascertain exactly where Megan has also disappeared to.

And then the hidden cracks of the prestigious Hamilton family facade begin to surface exposing the secrets and lies that have been maintained for decades...and nothing is as it seems. Bit by bit, the mystery unravels only to reveal yet another twist of which there are a litany!

The author has carefully constructed a tangled web of secrets and deception that are so intricately woven and, by revealing just enough along the way, keeping the reader invested and giving the impression of knowing what's happening...and then she tosses in another twist that opens up a completely different possibility. The plot was so skillfully woven that it had me completely fooled for much of the book. I did suspect a few twists along the way but mostly I was in the dark and had no idea where it was heading. And just before the final reveals, a light went on and I knew exactly where it was heading and I couldn't keep up for flipping the pages of my kindle so fast in a heart-stopping race to the end!

OK so some of the story maybe a tad far-fetched but this is fiction. And what we enjoy is fast paced, thrill ride, addictive reads that throw us so many twists that keep us engaged throughout. Who cares if it's not entirely believable? For the most part it is. And that's what balances out the far-fetched bits because at that point you're so invested in the story you don't care if it's real or not. Just that it is one hell of a ride!! And it is!

The characters are all developed enough for the picture they are depicted in. Some of them are endearing and some are hateful. I loved Chase's reliability and Megan's no nonsense style. Fay reminded me of a baby bird that takes tentative steps to see if it's safe. I sympathised with Kathy for the most part but her blindness when it came to her mother at times was irritating. Sure, she's her mother but the woman was downright rude and controlling. Nowhere did I see her "good intentions" that Kathy often talked about.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY also contains some triggering issues for some readers but to mention them could potentially be a spoiler but I do feel it should be pointed out despite this so readers can judge whether is appropriate in such a case. Without giving too much away there is abuse and assault as well as slightly graphic crime scenes, while not overly graphic they cam be enough to upset some readers.

With its vivid descriptions and atmosphere, THE BIRTHDAY PARTY is a fast paced read that is chilling in part but oh so addictive! It is nail-biting, page-turning and heart-racing that I stayed up well into the night and into the wee hours of the morning just to finish it! And when I did I can honestly say I was speechless. THE BIRTHDAY PARTY was jaw-dropping to the extreme throughout like no other thriller I have read...and I've read plenty! This book just keeps on giving with twists and bombshells despite the red herrings peppered throughout. Not many crime thriller writers can hoodwink me but Wendy Dranfield has done it more than once in this book alone!

If you have not read THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, I can only say you need to do yourself a favour and go out and grab yourself a copy...because you won't be sorry. It is definitely one of those "just one more chapter" books that you end up reading way past your bedtime and into the wee hours of the early morning...

An addictive heart-racing thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and blow your mind over and over again!!

Recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell, Louise Jensen, Nicola Marsh, C.L. Taylor and Teresa Driscoll.

I would like to thank #WendyDranfield, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBirthdayParty in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant book
Had me hooked from the start
Plenty of twist and turns
A family with many secrets
Thanks NetGalley

Thanks to Bookouture, Wendy Drainfield and Netgalley for the ARC
for an honest opinion.

“The Birthday Party” is my first book by Wendy Dranfield, and may I say it was a great start to her books. Kathy Hamilton drops off her daughter (Charlotte) at her cousin’s birthday party. She has arranged for the nanny to collect her later in the day, but when Kathy arrives home, she finds the house empty, thinking they are still at the party she rings her brother-in-law, but Kathy isn’t there she left hours ago and the nanny doesn’t pick up the phone.

It's a parent's nightmare when their child is missing, the longer they’re missing the chances of finding them alive is slim. That’s why Kathy’s parents are desperate to find her as soon as possible. The police are quickly informed, the case is handled by Detective Chase Cooper (who has a history with Kathy back in high school).

The more Chase investigates, the more he finds out the lies, deception and secrets of Hamilton’s harbour. The story builds gradually with every passing chapter, what I loved was the way the story is structured, for example, when Kathy meets Chase, the author takes you to the time when they were back in high school and explains their relationship at the time which I find adds to the story.
There is a character which I detested, he/she (I’m not telling) is antagonistic and narcissistic, a very toxic person.

Overall, a great read, highly recommended

Five year old Charlie is sooooo excited about her cousins' party. There will be a real pony there! She is dropped off by her mum and is due to be collected by her babysitter Megan. But Charlie vanishes from the party and Megan is attacked...
The Birthday Party is a stand alone thriller about every parent's nightmare: a lost child.
OMG I was hooked by this book and couldn't put it down. There are several 'aha!' moments which I loved. Some twists were pretty easy to guess but there are clues that I enjoyed collecting and piecing together.
Kathy Hamilton lives a life of wealth and privilege. But her marriage is strained, her older daughter needs therapy and she is haunted by the past. The past confronts her via the police officer leading the investigation into her missing daughter. Detective Chase Cooper was her first love and now she is depending on him to find her daughter.
The book is written in the third person throughout but there are some chapters from Kathy's past in the 1990s and also some therapist notes. There are twists, secrets and lies which all need to be uncovered as the plot races along.
The Birthday Party was a completely absorbing novel.

The disappearance of a young child throws the lives of her family members and their entire small town into turmoil, especially since everyone seems to be under suspicion. An excellent read!

There’s an awful lot going on in the blurb for The Birthday Party. And an awful lot going on in the book. Too much. There is the core story of a young girl (Charlie) going missing, an attack on her babysitter, a husband and wife, both of whom have secrets, and a potential love story. All going on at once.

So much was going on, I found reading The Birthday Party exhausting. Holding all the threads together, remember who had done what. It took effort. Effort I wouldn’t have minded if I had cared about the characters or what happened to them.

Unfortunately I didn’t. Not one of them spoke to me. I found the behaviour of Mitch and Karen, whose daughter was missing, strange (I won’t say more for spoilers other than they seemed to bounce back very quickly).

And I found the need to stretch my belief that all the characters were connected in such a complex way too much (even though I know you have to suspend belief with these type of books, there still needs to be a sense that things could happen).

At its core, I think there is something in The Birthday Party I could enjoy. However, it was too long, too ‘padded’, and too complicated. Which means it isn’t one I’ll be recommending. 3/5 stars.

I loved this book so much. I can’t stop f gushing over it. I’m not usually a fan of missing children books but this one really worked. There were a lot of family secrets and underlying resentments. Easily a 5 star from me.

Reading Between the Wines book review #9/135 for 2022:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 📱: The Birthday Party
Author: Wendy Dranfield
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: This is my first standalone book by Dranfield. Normally, I am immersed in Detective Harper’s series-which are great by the way. Any book about a missing child can be a hard read and this one was as well. If you can get over that, this book was a good mystery with a few twists. Charlie goes missing at her cousin’s birthday party. There were no leads and no motives. I thought I knew what happened to her but boy was I wrong, so wrong! This was a great, heart-wrenching suspenseful thriller that I think you should read.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @wendydranfieldauthor and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @TheBirthdayWitness.

#TheBirthdayParty #WendyDranfield #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers

I really enjoyed this one and will look into this author more. I enjoyed with twists and the flow of the story. The writing was well done and kept my interest throughout. I will be recommending this one to friends.

The birthday party by Wendy Dranfield was a amazing book!!

Kathy drops her very excited child to her cousins birthday party. She leaves her daughter in what she believes are capable hands but when she actives home and realises the baby sitter Megan isn't there with Charlie she starts to panic. Charlie is gone! When the police artive Kathy Is stunned to see her childhood sweetheart is the Detective on the case.

I absolutely love Wendy Dranfield, I have read her crime series and they have never let me down! Although the birthday party is a stand alone book it's just as good. We have three main characters Kathy, Megan and Chase. Most of the book is from Kathy and Megan's POV they are both really interesting women and I enjoyed both of them.

Kathy Is a mum of two with a past that still haunts her. So the shock of Chase being the Detective on the case brings her back to the past. We get to read her present day and when she is a teenager. I was so interested in both of the time lines. I wanted to find out what the big secret was and how or if it links to her present day. I did manage to guess about 75% of the way through and OMG what a frigging twist I honestly cannot say anymore. Even once I guessed I had to keep reading to check I was correct. It was one of those books that I read and wanted to discuss it with someone anyone straight away!!

Megan the babysitter was a really cool character. She is so attached to Charlie and is very distressed when she is told she's gone missing. After she has been injuries she moves into the home with Kathy and her family. It's a strange arrangement and the more I read the more questions I had. She was actually my favourite character in the book. Her pov was great I enjoyed reading it. She's dealing with addiction issues and the worry of Charlie's disappearance is a trigger. She's so worried about Charlie maybe a bit too worried.

Now Chase is a darling and I think I want to marry him ha. He is clearly hung up on Kathy all these years later and they still clearly have a spark He is torn between doing his job and protecting Kathy and her family. But wirh the family being caught in lie after lie he has to push his feelings and look harder..

The novel covers some very sensitive issues, addiction, abuse and obviously kidnapping. Each is covered so well I honestly the subjects made me even more engrossed in each character, bar the husband I wasn't a fan of him!! I wanted to find out more and more about the characters I really enjoyed following this hard hitting thriller.

Wendy Dranfield has a way with words and if you've read her crime series you will enjoy this one. As a stand alone sometime I find it difficult to connect to the characters but here that wasn't the case. I found the book was full of great descriptions and it really help you feel like you are there.

All in all I totally recommend the birthday party, it's a great crime thriller and has characters with great depth and backstories the twists just keep coming and if you manche to guess it well done it took me a while! Honestly I so enjoyed this book. Great start to 2022. Easy 5 stars

Thank you to Bookouture, Wendy Drainfield and netgalley for rhe the ARC of the birthday party.

Review will also be published on goodreads/jaswebb and @jazzreafsreveiwsrepeats (instagram)

Loved this book.

Really liked the characters and the plot.

Plenty of drama, mystery and suspense. A great, easy.

A rollercoaster of a ride, with a nail biting conclusion.

Highly recommended 5 stars from me

In the end, I loved this one but it was an extremely slow start. The opening chapter was loaded with extremely mundane information.

The book opens with a family getting ready for the birthday party their daughter would be stolen from. Once it's determined that she is missing, the local police get involved and we start to pull at a thread that unravels all the secrets of a small town.

I loved the characters in this book. As with all of Wendy Dranfield's characters, they feel real and are distinct enough that it's easy to keep track of all of them. This book definitely captures the small-town vibe accurately. It's a fun read as you start to see the cracks in the perfect facade, and it keeps you reading.

I did notice a couple holes that distracted me a little. For example, there are a lot of things the town residents know that the chief of police doesn't, which doesn't really make sense since he's both a lifelong resident of the town and also the chief of police, so it's literally his job to know. I also found the number of times the main characters (purportedly accidentally) impeded the investigation to be crazy. Even a person who knows nothing about investigations would know better than to make some of those errors.

In any case, the back half of the book was much stronger than the first and I loved the characters so much that this one was ultimately a 4-star read for me. I especially loved the interactions between the main character and the police chief-- i loved the way it illustrated that your past is only your version of that experience.

I enjoyed this book for the most part- even ended up finishing it in the middle of the night. There were a couple of oddities though. The story centers on Kathy, who drops her 5 year old off at a birthday party, only to find out that she disappeared at some point during the event. The rest of the book centers on the search for the child while also uncovering secrets in Kathy’s family.

Let’s start with the secrets- there were some revelations made throughout the book that the characters knew but the reader didn’t. I found this rather odd and felt like the author should’ve provided me more background info from the beginning. There were a couple things I guessed but also a couple that there is no way I could’ve guessed because I just wasn’t given enough info.

That being said, I did enjoy the story itself as well as the primary characters. Even though some things ended up fitting together just a little too neatly, I liked the dynamic between the characters and I was satisfied with how it all worked out (for the most part, as there are some very sad parts).

Overall, I enjoyed the book and I thought there were some clever twists but did think the writing style was a little odd, with info being unnecessarily withheld. I’d give it 3.5 stars overall. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY by Wendy Dranfield

When a five year old goes missing at a birthday party, a dysfunctional family’s secrets are slowly revealed. Shocking twists at every turn will keep you reading long past your bedtime in THE BIRTHDAY PARTY by Wendy Dranfield. I could not read it fast enough. The unpredictable ending was one I can’t forget. A masterful story for thriller fans.

A really great read from Wendy. Some very strong characters and a gripping storyline. It deals with emotional abuse and how vulnerable people especially young people can be victimised in this way.

The Birthday Party By: Wendy Dranfield Narrated by: Sarah Borges. I am somewhat mixed about this audiobook!!! I ended up aborting the audio and went to the book, as I did not like the narrator Sarah Borges. I am glad I did this as the narrator didn't do it justice. especially as I have loved all of Wendy's books she has written.

The Birthday Party had lots twists and turns. with lots of secrets and lies throughout that kept you on your toes till the end Which made this an enjoyable read.

I Highly recommended all of Wendy's books they have been an enjoyable read.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Wow, what a book this was! I knew I would be sucked in as soon as I read the summary but I did not expect to be on the edge of my seat literally reading through all hours of the night! Be prepared to be taken for a wild ride loaded with many twists and turns. Every time I finished a scene that threw me for a loop I was hit with yet another one. Just when I thought I had it all figured out I realized I was wrong. Please note that there are some sensitive uncomfortable topics and scenes.

I am a fan of this author and her talent shines through yet again with this one.

A bit of a slow start but once it got going it tied me in knots. Just when I thought I had a clue sussed the rug was pulled from under my feet! The shocking conclusion was a tear jerker.

A good read full of twists and breathtaking edge of your seat revelations.
I really connected with the characters to the point where I shouted out loud at some of them, the mark of a good writer to really engage with the reader.
A compulsive read.

I picked this up and put it down so many times. The premise of the story was a good one but it just couldn’t hold my attention. It picked up suddenly the last few chapters but overall meh. I tried hard to like it.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc