Book Summary
Someone is about to die… Someone is about to lie…
At the intimate house-warming party for her glorious ‘grand design’, Kathleen confides in her best friend Beth that she is terrified of one of their close friends, but daren’t reveal which one. The guests are a tight-knit group, but Kathleen is convinced one of them is dangerous.
The next day Kathleen’s body is found at the foot of a cliff and Beth must face the sickening truth that she may have been killed by one of their trusted friends. With little help from the police, Beth’s decides to seek answers.
All the friends have secrets they are desperate to hide, but only one of them is ready to kill to keep theirs safe…
The House Party is set on the Isle of Wight – insular,claustrophobic, and with nowhere to run. Mary Grand has written a heart-stopping novel of secrets, betrayal and desire, perfect for fans of Louise Candlish and Lucy Foley.
Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/35kKciQ (UK) ▪️ Amazon US
Mysteries are notoriously hard to review without giving away spoilers, so I am going to keep this one a bit light – more of a mini review than my normal discussion.
The House Party by Mary Grand is full of lies, red herrings, and false leads that satisfied my puzzle-loving soul. To further add to the mystery, the story contains a cast of characters full of secrets just waiting to be revealed in their own time and place, while the ebb and flow of suspense creates a jaunty pace to the story.
I wish the characters had been a bit more developed to allow me to care about the impact of the murder on them as well as their secrets, and that the style of writing had been more fluid and natural. However, the conclusion is satisfying with an excellent wrap-up, and all of the secrets revealed, allowing the characters to pick up the pieces and move forward.
About the Author
Mary Grand is the author of five novels and writes gripping, page-turning suspense, with a dark and often murderous underside. She grew up in Wales, was for many years a teacher of deaf children and now lives on the Isle of Wight where her new novel, The House Party, which will be published by Boldwood in July 2020, is set.
Social Media Links –
Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/authormaryg
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/authormarygrand/
Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/maryandpepper/?hl=en
Bookbub Profile: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mary-grand?list=about
Blog / website URL: https://marygrand.net/
Tessa Talks Books 
Oooh, I am intrigued. This is one of my favorite themes….a group of characters, a party, an isolated location and murder. Yes, I think I will be delving into this one. Even if the characters weren’t fully developed, it sounds like it hits all the right notes for me!
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I would be curious to see what you think of it. Happy reading!
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Oh girl, I have never worked so hard to get comments open. I am reading this book an d struggling
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I’m so sorry. I turned them off in draft and forgot to reopen.
The writing style is difficult I think. Especially at first. It definitely was for me but I wasn’t sure if it was my mindset or something. It’s a bit better towards the end.
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The characters have no emotions…. They are all weird. I have been reading since a couple of days then went ahead and read other books leaving this
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The characters need a lot more development. They are very one dimensional. It sounds like you are running into the exact same issues as I did.
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And I have the review to be written for tomorrow
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You could let Rachel know you are struggling with it – see if she has any options available. Or just keep at it. I felt like it became easier to read as I got further into it.
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I’m really intrigued by this one. I really like the cover as well!
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It is interesting. A blogger friend told me that the plot sounded like a gothic novel she had read and I could totally see that.
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