This was a mildly entertaining mystery. The trouble I found was that both main characters were obnoxious and there were so many lies and secrets it got annoying. Few small twists, just enough to keep me reading but nothing overly shocking or exciting.

Thanks NetGalley for making this book available.
I picked it up because the synopsis sounded interesting and I'm quite a big fan of thrillers, but this ending wasn't the best, the characters weren't 100% likeable and it wasn't as addictive as other great thrillers I've read before.
I hope to read more and better work from this author in the future.

The Dinner Party makes great use of its settings—from the plush, atmospheric restaurant to the unsettling intimacy of Hector’s private residence. The glamour of the food world and those who can afford to live in luxury are draws, while the touch of menace always lurking in the background makes for an exciting read.

Manning skilfully builds tension through Lily’s first-person narration adding a layer of emotion, while the story that runs alongside Lily’s gives us a glimpse into Stig’s thoughts and his past. Using both perspectives helps to build a feeling of dread and apprehension that comes with any good crime novel.

This domestic thriller slowly peels back the elegant layers of its characters to expose the raw, unsettling truths hiding beneath. It is the perfect pairing for an evening relaxing with a fine glass of wine for company.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy. This review may contain spoilers

This book just wasn’t for me. I thought I would love it because it involved a chef and was a thriller. I was wrong. I HATED every character except the best friend who barley had a role.

Here’s the synopsis. Wife and hubby go to a fancy restaurant and become friend with the chef. Husband refuses to tell wife anything about his life and resents her because she wouldn’t take a higher paying job. Wants a child but it’s not happening. Wife won’t have a child because hubby is so secretive. Didn’t stop her from marrying him though. She goes out of her way to do nice things for him and he is just a temper tantrum toddler. And her comment at the end about doing something because he deserves it? Ew.

The writing was fine but I just didn’t enjoy the read. I would rate it lower but the author doesn’t deserve that just because I hated the characters.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #38/125 for 2025:
Rating: 3 🍷🍷🍷
Book: The Dinner Party
Author: Nina Manning
AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Sipping thoughts: I enjoyed this dual timeline and the suspense behind what happened in the past and how it would connect with the dinner invitation. I did not enjoy the ending as it seemed a little disconnected or disjointed with the rest of the story.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @BoldwoodsBooks for an advanced copy of @TheDinnerParty.

#TheDinnerParty #NinaManning #BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bokreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

I enjoyed this book, but it didn't make me to pick it up at every avilable moment. There weren't any twists to shock you.

A very intriguing read. It started off very slowly for me and a lot of the beginning with the various characters did not make sense. Until the second narrator popped up and everything went AHA!!!! Then you were left guessing as to who was going to do what, who would reveal what until the final chapter. I was expecting a little more WOW out of the final chapter but nevertheless it was a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Nina Manning's 'The Dinner Party' threatens to be a tight, claustrophobic thriller, and to a large extent delivers that promise, although with some reservations. The narrative follows Lily and Stig, a married pair in celebration of their anniversary, at the posh restaurant of celebrity chef Hector Bolson-Woods. What starts off as a clearly idyllic night turns nasty when Hector develops a special interest in them, culminating in a private invite and the queasy sense that something is wrong.

The author is particularly skilled at creating an atmosphere of claustrophobia and tension. The first dinner scene is dense with unresolved tensions between Lily and Stig, which are subsequently heightened by Hector's unnerving charm. The story creates an effective atmosphere of tension as Lily becomes more attracted to Hector and at the same time gets a feeling that Stig is keeping something related to him. The following invitations to Hector's house turn up the heat, making the reader suspicious of everyone's intentions and waiting for some impending danger.

The power of the book is in how it develops the troubled relationship between Lily and Stig. Their inability to communicate and hidden secrets create a strong undercurrent to the narrative. Lily's voice takes over the first half, and her anger and desire to be understood are tangible. As the narrative develops, Stig's narrative is introduced, revealing a fuller picture of their troubled history and why he has been so silent.

But the pacing of the novel may not be to everyone's taste. The build-up is very slow at the beginning, with a great emphasis on the tense relationship between the couple and the apparently harmless encounters with Hector. Although this adds to the sense of atmosphere, some readers may find it takes a long time for the central conflict to really spark.

Also, although the plot twists and turns are there, some readers may find parts of the plot to be predictable, or the ultimate revelations not as effective as one would have wanted. Some of the characters' motivations, especially in the second half of the book, could have been discussed with more intensity to make them more believable.
In spite of these small shortcomings, 'The Dinner Party' is an overall engaging psychological thriller. Manning weaves together a gripping story with a very real sense of foreboding and expertly explores the intricacies of a troubled marriage in extraordinary and malevolent conditions. Slow-burn thriller enthusiasts interested in character interactions and suspenseful tension-building will find themselves engrossed in the creepy world of 'The Dinner Party' and its tangle of secrets.

Overall 'The Dinner Party' is a good psychological thriller that gets across a creepy and tense atmosphere. Although the pacing may be sluggish for some and some plot points may be overly simplistic, the examination of a troubled marriage at the center of a possibly dangerous situation provides for an engaging and ultimately unputdownable read. It's an admirable contribution to the genre and recommends Nina Manning as an author to keep an eye on for readers of domestic suspense.

This is my first book by Nina Manning. The thriller delves into the past and how a person's past and trauma they've encountered can shape them into who they are in the future.
I thought this was a little different - I'd say it's more mystery.

I enjoyed reading this up until the end and then I got confused.

The Dinner Party by Nina Manning is a thrilling psychological drama that grabs you by the heart and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. The story revolves around Lily Leonard, who books a special anniversary dinner at an exclusive restaurant run by the charismatic celebrity chef Hector Bolson-Woods. What should have been a romantic evening to rekindle her strained marriage to Stig turns into something far darker.

When Hector invites the couple to dine privately, Lily is initially thrilled, hoping it will bring them closer together. Hector, with his charm and attention, becomes everything Stig is not, and Lily finds herself increasingly drawn to him. But after the dinner, Stig’s reaction is less than ideal, leaving Lily with the unsettling feeling that he’s hiding something—something linked to Hector that she can’t yet understand.

As the story unfolds, the suspense builds with each new twist, particularly when another dinner invitation arrives, and this time Hector’s proposal is something neither Lily nor Stig can refuse. The tension between the characters intensifies, and Lily’s search for the truth becomes all-consuming.

Nina Manning masterfully weaves suspense, intrigue, and a sense of growing unease throughout the novel. The characters are deeply complex, and the chemistry between them is palpable, which makes for a gripping read. The Dinner Party is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy fast-paced, twisty plots with shocking revelations. This book will keep you hooked until the very end and is an excellent choice for anyone who loves a story with a dark, unexpected edge.

I really hate to give a one star review when I've received an ARC, but unfortunately I really couldn't justify more that...

None of the characters behaved with any kind of logic at all and the "big reveal" fell kind of flat.

Lily is not a very likeable main character at all, neither is her husband. They both behave ridiculously immaturely for grown adults: If your big aversion to having a kid with a man is that you know NOTHING about his past and he refuses to give any answers then why in the world did you marry him? Also, why not just say that that is the reason? Same goes for Stig: why not just communicate with your wife? And I still don't understand how he rationalises all of Hector's behaviour and responds in the most bizarre way imaginable. None of their logic makes any sense so it's completely not relatable or believable. Don't even get me started on Ruby... 🙄🙄 like OK Miss I have nothing and no choice.. but enough money to buy myself a house and never have to work ever... 🙄🙄 OK.

The end was rushed and came to a very anticlimactic conclusion.. I turned the page and when the next chapter read epilogue I was like "wait, that's it??"

Needless to say, this was my first and last book by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

#TheDinnerParty #NetGalley
Ending was 🔥
To celebrate their wedding aniversay, Lily Leonard books a table at the exclusive restaurant of Hector Bolson-Woods renowned celebrity chef. It should be the perfect evening for Lily and husband, Stig, but not even a perfect menu can heal the cracks in their marriage. So when Hector invites them to dine with him privately, Lily is thrilled. Surely this will please Stig? Hector is charming and attentive – everything Stig is not – and she finds herself more and more drawn to the enigmatic Hector. After the dinner, Stig makes it clear the entire evening was a mistake, something he never wants to repeat again. Hurt and confused, Lily’s certain Stig is hiding something from her. Something linked to Hector…she just doesn’t know what. And then another dinner invitation from Hector arrives. This time with a proposal neither Lily or Stig can refuse.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me an advance copy.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

When Lily surprises her husband, Stig, for their anniversary at a fancy well known restaurant she is elated for the experience. When they arrive for their reservation they are introduced to the chef who invites them into the kitchen to celebrate their anniversary dinner. However, Stig, immediately becomes distant during the experience while Lily is jumping for joy and savoring every moment. This unique dinner spurred the chef reaching out to them to invite them to a special dinner he was hosting. As the relationships form, Stig, continues to shut down making Lily question what is going on. A few twists and turns lead us to learn the background of the characters and how it is affecting them today.

I was constantly wondering who was trustworthy and what was really going on. Twists were twisting and kept me hooked!!

Lily Leonard surprises her husband, Stig, for their fifth anniversary with a fancy dinner at an exclusive restaurant owned by a famous celebrity chef, Hector Bolson-Woods in a psychological thriller, The Dinner Party, by Nina Manning. Lily and Stig’s marriage is in trouble – her not wanting to have kids because he won’t communicate with her about his upbringing, and him not wanting to communicate with her about his childhood, being the main issues, as well as money. Lily hopes the dinner helps, but when the chef invites them to dine with him, and then issues invitations to his many homes, the marriage seems to get worse. It’s fairly evident that something bad is going to happen as Lily and Stig attend these dinner parties, but most readers won’t know what until the very end.

Manning has done a good job of developing her characters. Lily, the protagonist, is a selfish person, and is fairly unlikeable. Stig isn’t much better, and is uncommunicative and cold. The supporting characters are also dark and although they support the story and carry it along, are not people most readers would like to meet.

While the story flows, it is a bit boring, especially at first while it is told through Lily. Later, there is prose in third person about Stig and Hector. Readers will keep reading because they think something exciting or suspenseful will happen anytime. However, by the time something does happen, most readers will already have it figured out. There really isn’t that much suspense, and by the dénouement, most readers will just want to get it over with.

All told, the characters aren’t exciting, the story isn’t exciting, and the plot isn’t exciting.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Wasn’t able to read this one digitally but I did order a copy of the book so will be reviewing it after I’ve read it. I’m really excited for it as I’ve only heard great things about it.

This was not what I expected, but, oh my the twists and turns were amazing. This is a must read for sure!

Good book! Keep me wanting to keep reading! My first by this author and i will read more !! Highly recommend this author !!

This was so much better than I ever expected. I picked up and could not put it down. I have thought about this book so many times after finishing it. Well written.

I really wanted to love this one—the setup had everything I enjoy in a thriller: an exclusive dinner, a mysterious wealthy host, and a couple with plenty of secrets. But while the premise was intriguing, the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

The pacing felt uneven—too slow in the beginning and then way too rushed at the end. I never fully connected with Lily or Stig, and their dynamic felt more like family drama than a high-stakes psychological thriller. There were a few twists, but nothing that truly shocked me.

If you love slow-burn thrillers with messy relationship drama, this might work for you. But if you’re looking for something as fast-paced and gripping as a Freida McFadden novel, this one might leave you wanting more. Not terrible, just not as thrilling as I’d hoped.