Sophies father has organised an no expense spared sweet sixteen birthday party and when someone is found dead all hell breaks loose.

The characters all come out and show their true selves and they are most unlikable. This is more of a domestic drama than a thriller but it is a fun read and I loved trying to second guess the outcome.

2,5/5
My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Kelsey Cox and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Sophie is turning sixteen and her father Ethan throws her an amazing party in his breathtaking mansion called The Dollhouse by locals, as one of the walls is made entirely of glass (I wouldn't be able to live exposed like this, it's horrendous). Anyway, there are many people in attendance, among them Kim, Ethan's ex wife, a venomous and bitter viper of a woman, his current wife Dani, seemingly in a fragile mental state after giving birth, Sophie's best friend Mikayla, a bit tired of being always an element fading in the background, and Orlaith, the Irish nanny with some kind of hidden agenda and a handful of scary stories to tell (she is by far the best character here). The party is in full swing, and suddenly tragedy strikes. There's a dead body... was it an accident or something more sinister it's at play?
To be honest I'm very disappointed after reading “Party of Liars”. I was expecting a locked-room mystery, which I love. But the book is not a thriller, is not even a crime story. It's a domestic drama heavily packed with inner monologues and soul-searching. It's dragging forever before there's even a body and even more before the identity of said body is revealed.
In a nutshell, as a domestic drama it is quite good and well written, even if not particularly original or memorable. If you are expecting a locked room whodunnit though, there's a fair chance you are going to be disappointed just like me.

#PartyofLiars #NetGalley

Partly told in an arm's length narrative style and partly like stream of consciousness writing, this is ideal for fans of suspense stories set in a possibly haunted house.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

On publication I will post the blurb and this short review on my blog.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a gripping and atmospheric murder mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish. Set against the backdrop of an extravagant Sweet Sixteen party in a supposedly haunted mansion, this locked-room whodunnit is packed with secrets, tension and unexpected twists.

Sophie’s sixteenth birthday is meant to be the party of the year. Her father has spared no expense, turning their newly renovated Texas estate into the perfect venue. But just as the night reaches its peak, a body falls from the balcony, sending the celebration into chaos. With a guest list full of people hiding something, the question is not just who did it, but who will make it out alive.

I enjoyed how the story unfolds through multiple perspectives, each character bringing their motives and suspicions to the table. The tension builds brilliantly, and I loved the eerie atmosphere of the house itself, which felt like a character in its own right. The pacing kept me turning the pages, and while I had my suspicions, the final reveal still managed to surprise me.

This is an impressive debut, and I will be looking out for Kelsey Cox’s next book. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries with a modern twist, this one is worth picking up.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I can't go too much about the plot without spoilers, but I loved the ending and how we got to see the truth piece by piece. I wish we knew who died sooner, though, the pace of the plot felt a bit slow sometimes.
Overall, I really liked this book.