What a great page turner! At some times an uncomfortable read as it starts by knowing something is going to go wrong. The authors keeps you guessing throughout the book by bringing in character’s past and their interactions with the main character. Lots of twists and turn to change your opinion throughout, but I still couldn’t guess which character caused the ‘Death at a Party’. Loved the author’s style of writing who painted the characters well to allow you to sympathise and empathise. Great read, very easy and kept my attention till the end!

The book starts with Nadine Walsh standing over dead body during the 60th birthday party she is throwing for her famous mother, Marilyn. The rest of the book covers event during that day leading up to the death. I found the pace quite frustratingly slow even though it only covers about 16 hours. Nadine seems to have endless errands and distractions to do during the day despite the fact that this party is a big deal involving caterers and a hundred guests. I found the errands dull and kept thinking it must surely be party time only to realise it was still in the morning.

One of the Nadine's 'errands' was to visit the grave of her aunt Colleen who died 30 years earlier at her mother's 30th birthday party. Colleen was only 15 at the time. There is much derision of Nadine visiting the grave and she feels she has to keep her visit secret. This alone didn't sit well with me as I didn't see any problem with visiting a grave on the anniversary of a death and I wonder why such a big deal was made of it since she was doing so many other things on this busy day.

Another thing that didn't sit well with me is that two people are Type 1 diabetic and require daily doses of insulin but the author seems to have sought no medical advice (or even the powers of the Internet) at write authentically about this. There is much talk of syringes for the insulin but I don't know any diabetic who has used a syringe since the 1990s when insulin pens became the normal way of administering insulin. While there <i>may</i> be a few diabetics who do use syringes I found the paragraph about Nadine administering insulin to her teenage son using a tourniquet around his bicep to inject his arm absolute poppycock. Insulin is injected into fatty tissue - usually the stomach, thighs or backside. Tourniquet are not used.

Other things that bugged me were talk of 'zip drive' which was constantly muddled with a file that has been zipped. These are two different things. one is a digital file, one is a piece of hardware. You also cannot airdrop a file to someone and have it on their phone unless they actively accept it at the time. Too many distractions and inaccuracies for me and a slow paced plot that dragged and felt repetitive at times. With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. The connections between the the characters were slowly revealed and it kept me interested.

A Death At The Party opens with the death, and then we follow Nadine’s journey, building up to the party and what pushes her to perform the act.
This story is full of mystery, with twists and turns, family secrets, revelations, history revealed and one woman’s journey to protect her family.
This really drew me in to Nadine’s recovery, and the physical impact her accident had on her, it also leads you to understand the lengths she will go to protect those that she loves, you really empathise with her story from the way it was written. You can see the struggles Nadine has had with trying to protect everyone and neglecting herself and the self destructive behaviours that can lead to.
I really enjoyed this rollercoaster of a story.

This book’s opening paragraph is a description of someone dying/being murdered at a party. The principal characters are Nadine who is the daughter of best selling novelist Marilyn Millay, wife of Paul and mother of Isobel and Damien. We learn of an accident Nadine had at a New Years Eve party and of the death of her aunty Colleen on her mother’s 30th birthday. We are taken on a journey of Nadine’s life and things that have made her the person she is today.

Throughout the book you do not know who the victim is but there are many suspects. There are also lots of secrets. Some of these I guessed but I had not guessed the victim until very near the end.

This alone is a triumph that a book is not predictable and I hadn’t finished it because I had to. I finished this one because I really wanted to!

An enjoyable read that was quite laid back although I would have appreciated better character development as at times it felt a bit too one dimensional. Good as beach read that’s not too taxing.

It’s always a good start in a murder mystery when a body turns up in the first chapter. We are then taken back to the events of the day leading up to the murder. Nadine, the main character, wasn’t likeable being erratic and unfocused. Few of the supporting characters were entirely endearing and some were downright creepy. Not a traditional dual timeline but the events of 30 ago are a driving force in the storyline. More a lightweight family saga than a murder mystery.

I enjoyed this book as it was very different to my normal thriller reading. The story began with a murder but t doe sot reveal who has died leaving the reader not sure until the end when all is disclosed. The story was well written and was in keeping with life both 60 years beforehand and the present day as well as detailing how despicable journalists can be when doing their sleuthing.
The story packed a punch that kept me reading as it was absorbing and I could relate to all the characters, some good and some bad.
It was a gentle murder mystery that was easy to read and absorb all the situations.

I enjoyed this book - I thought it moved along nicely and was a quick read. There were one or two red herrings and I didn’t guess the outcome but I liked the ending. Recommended.

I found this reasonably easy to read, and it did become quite engaging.
However, I thought the main character, Nadine, was a bit too annoying, her internal dialogue was wordy and sometimes a little bizarre, her though processes strangely unnecessary to the narrative.
The characters that surrounded her treated her with some kind of weird deference, constantly referring to her stress levels and little quirks that added nothing to the story and put me off her a bit.
The story was quite lightweight, we knew that she killed someone at the party and then had to examine all of the male characters to discover who it was, so a few red herrings, but the motive and reasons weren't too heavy or exciting.
Still, it rattled along easily enough and while it won't stretch anyone would pass the time of day.

I really liked Amy Stuart's writing style. It feels very laid back - however it did get a bit tedious at times, when I just wanted the plot to move a little faster.
It was a fun read, that didn't take itself too seriously - just wish it was a little faster in pace!

Marilyns 60th birthday also commerates the 30 year anniversary of her sisters death.
Found by Marilyn's 10 year old daughter Nadine, the past is buried.
Life twists and Nadine is married with teenage children at the time of the party.
Enjoy I did.

I enjoyed the last half of this book and there was a good amount of suspense in this section, however there was far too much mundane description of the planning of the party and the chores to get ready for it in the first half. I found I was losing interest and skipping parts.

Some interesting characters although we do not find out much about them and the female protagonist is a very unusual one, however when you hear her story you can see why she may have turned out this way.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book grabs your attention straight away by starting with a murder but the victim is not revealed. Instead the narrative moves back twenty four hours and we follow the events that lead to the murder and the disclosure of who and why. I really liked this structure, it had me hooked from the start.

The story then gradually builds, it steadily picks up pace as more pieces of the puzzle are added, until the last quarter where I just couldn’t put it down.

No one is above suspicion and it seems that everyone has something to hide. Some of the characters are unlikeable but I really liked Nadine, the narrator of the story. We know she’s flawed, we don’t always trust what she’s telling us but she is unapologetic and true to what she believes in.

On one level it’s a mystery/thriller but on another level it’s a book about how far we would go to protect those who we love. I absolutely loved it and I look forward to reading more from this author.

A very clever story which held my interest and kept me guessing until the end! I loved the realistically spiky characters, few of them totally 'likeable' but all very believable. Nadine is flawed, tightly wound, neurotic and very human and I could picture Marilyn in my head so very clearly!

The timeshifts work, and the clues they scatter are just random enough that by the time Nadine is pulling them together, you feel as though you are in the process of discovery with her. I also enjoyed the descriptive narrative around the neighbourhood, and the relationships between the characters in it - it added another dimension to the tension of the story.

The story begins in medias-res, providing a tantalising glimpse into the murder's facts, but none of the suspects or story around them. This makes it gripping from the start. The denouement was really well-controlled, and our hearts are with Marilyn and Nadine at the party. Although slower in parts, there is enough information withheld from both Nadine and the reader, that this doesn't impact on the tension. Overall a very satisfying murder-mystery thriller.

What a wild ride through 24hours prior to a 60th birthday party with family, friends and neighbours of the jubilarian that ends in murder. The extremely clever plot is chock-a-block with twists and tension, kept me glued to the edge of my seat throughout. Fantastic!

Nadine is the perfect host, hosting the perfect party for her Mum’s 60th birthday.
Her Mum is a famous writer who has many fans and many secrets.

The book is slow paced but reaches a dramatic climax. Some of the story was a bit disjointed but I did enjoy it.

Nadine is having a party to celebrate her mum’s 60th. All their friends and family are coming to this soiree but one of them won’t be leaving alive!!! Who what why?

The book opens with the victim’s final moments watched over by our hostess. Quite a shocking opening before rewinding to the beginning of the day which turns in to a nonstop day for Nadine. She’s not only dealing with the final preparations for the party, but she’s dealing with a personal anniversary. Then over the course of her hectic day of errands those around her being to her attention the fact they know secrets about her. Ones she doesn’t want to see the light of day. So which unlucky individual does Nadine have her sights on to rid the community around her of?!?

A Death At The Party is a pacey read set over the course of a day with little anecdotes in Nadine’s mind back into her past. As I read, the characters before grew flesh and bones, acting out Nadine’s observations and thoughts. I have to admit, I really liked Nadine sharing her story and intimate thoughts with me. Her motive for murder, well… I can’t say anything about that for fear of spoiling this story!

Amy Stuart has written a rather excellent murder-mystery but not of the police procedural variety. With the culprit my narrator, I felt no animosity towards her and was more interested in the who and why. Everyone had reason to be on Nadine’s list but only one would be unlucky!

I really enjoyed this stand alone whydunnit from Stuart. I can totally see why it’s been likened to a mash up between Christie and Moriarty. I’ll be looking to get myself Stuart’s Still trilogy to see how she plays a series.

DNF

Stopped reading at 40% I rarely choose not to finish a book but I just couldn’t get through this.

The making character is unlikable, she’s happily married but she also had an affair. She is suspicious of everyone and everything and is anxious and erratic. The story bounced around giving random bits of background information or current information and it didn’t seem to connect at all.

I really tried to finish this but I had to force myself to keep picking it up and was trudging along.

I hope the ending is better than the start for those who manage to finish it. Such a shame but this one isn’t for me.

A Death At The Party by Amy Stuart is an addictive and fast-paced thriller that kept me glued to its pages. The story revolves around Nadine Walsh, who is hosting her mother's 60th birthday party. However, the celebration takes a sinister turn when Nadine discovers a dead body in her basement, juxtaposed with guests merrily enjoying themselves upstairs. The question lingers: What unfolded to lead to this chilling moment?

From the very first chapter, I found myself immersed in the gripping narrative, unable to put the book down. The pacing was relentless, delivering constant suspense and keeping me guessing. While I did have some inkling of the outcome, the way the story unfolded still managed to surprise and captivate me. However, I must admit that I didn't form a deep connection with the characters. Although I sympathized with their situations, I longed for more profound exploration and development.

Nevertheless, A Death At The Party remains an engaging read, filled with intrigue and suspense that will leave you eagerly flipping the pages.