The Block Party: A Novel

Raves for the hottest thriller of 2023!
"This is wicked fun." --Publishers Weekly
“Absolutely amazing. Readers are going to flip!” —Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of ONE STEP TOO FAR
"Like a firecracker on a hot summer night . . . If you like my novels, you’ll love THE BLOCK PARTY.” ―Elin Hilderbrand, #1 Bestselling author of THE HOTEL NANTUCKET
This summer, meet your neighbors.
The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other.
On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder.
But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold—discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing—and no one—is ever as it seems.
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Community Reviews
First thought: Beach Read! Turn off your brain and just enjoy it. This might be neighborhood domestic suspense at itâs finest. Or it may just be a long, drawn out story. I have about ten minutes to decide because this review is âgo timeâ.
This book starts at a block party at a well to do neighborhood on memorial day and it's a total shit show. We have our main protaganisht Alex who is the main organizer. She also happens to be, luckilly, shit-faced drunk enough to fall into a pool. As her husband whisks her out of sight she learns there has been a murder. And then we flashback to the same block party a year ago and go through the whole year leading up to this murder. We have multiple POVs of course, with one being Alexâs teenage girl: Lettie.
Obviously this is standard fair but I'm going to try argue how this one stands a little tall above similiar domestic suspense books. Mainly the writing and prose is very sharp and crisp. It really flows and you can just read and not think to yourself, âWho talks like that?â Or âWTF, this scene doesnât make any sense at allâ. It is beautifully written and edited. Also I thought Lettie would be the most annoying character, of course, being a teenage girl but she was the actually the most entertaining and level headed of this bunch. We go through the entire year between two block parties to slow burn our way into who dies at the second one.
The bad. Itâs too long. For some reason people think these books have to be over 300 pages. They really donât. If Iâm on the beach itâs happy hour time. I donât have time to finish this book. And it was really brought home way too much that Alex was developing a drinking problem. âWell, Iâll just have one more glass of wine.â âOne more wonât hurtâ.
Ok, this book is recommended but maybe speed read?
I really appreciate St. Martinâs press for giving me the opportunity to review this book for a honest review and it has a publication date of July 18, 2023.
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