Simon & Schuster | 7 March 2023 | 304 pgs
Source: Library
The story begins with a dead body at a birthday party. His identity is a mystery and Nadine Walsh, our lead character, was found standing over his body in her basement while a birthday party is still in full swing.
Flashback to that fateful morning, Nadine is checking her to-do list for her mother's birthday party. She has made sure that nothing will be left out and that everything will go according to plans; after all her mother is bestselling author, Marilyn Millay, and she's turning 60. Nadine didn't invite a lot of guests, they're all merely her and her husband's closest friends and colleagues, as well as their neighbours. But, what the others didn't know is that the birthday party isn't entirely a celebration for Marilyn, it also marks the day of another anniversary. As the time begins to count down towards the party as Nadine prepares for the party, she'll come to reflect on the past events that still haunt her till today, as well as the whole truth she's been looking for.
This was a slowburn domestic suspense, but then it was necessary given the story was set over the course of one day and there were the emotions and reactions from Nadine towards the present and the past, as well as her interactions with the few neighbours around her whom they play a huge part to the story. Nadine's character was well described though I couldn't say I liked her; she was too much of a complicated woman with secrets and it didn't help that a past event had kind of traumatised her in a way. There were enough red herrings throughout the story; and it was satisfactory to see the past and the present kind of connected towards the end as the truth unveiled. I loved this author's writing so I'll be sure to check out her other books.
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She's not an author I've read, but the fact that you liked her writing so much tells me I'd probably like her, too. :D
Lark - She's a new-to-me author. I hope you'll enjoy this book if you get to it, Lark. :)
I've read one of her previous books, Still Mine, and I enjoyed it, so I was wondering about this one. I like mystery/suspense where you don't know who the victim is until much later. This sounds good!
Diana - I enjoyed this book. Thought it was a bit different but I liked it. Gotta check out Still Mine. :)