Member Reviews
Once again another great book by Anna-Lou Weatherley that I could not put down. As soon as I see a new book is released I have to have it, I know I will not be disappointed.
Anna-Lou always brings such great characters to the page and Libby, her friends and family are no exception again in this thriller of a story. No one is who they seem, no one can be trusted and there are so many lies and secrets which lead to a fast paced story that I could not stop turning the pages quickly enough. Always a good sign when I read a book in one sitting. If you have not read one on Ann-Lou's books you really should give them a try, trust me I am sure you will be as captivated as I am with them.
OMGosh what a read!!!!!!!!! One of the BEST books ever! I never wanted this to end, sooooooo many twists and turns. Shockers throughout each chapter. Sad that we think we know our loved ones while this book shows us we never really know people. Fantastic rollercoaster of a ride! Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of The Night of the Party.
Evie has the perfect life: great home, loving husband, perfect daughter. But underneath the perfection, darkness is lurking and when 17 year old Libby is brutally murdered, everything Evie believed about her life comes tumbling down. As she struggles with Libby’s death, she learns that her beautiful daughter wasn’t who she thought she was.
A great story with good twists which made for a satisfying read.
The Drayton family is the picture of perfection. Evie and Tom are a couple madly in love who adore their sweet, talent daughter Libby. They can't help but show off their wonderful lives to their friends-Una and Jim-during a dinner party. Too bad perfection is only an illusion....
When Libby turns up dead the night of the dinner party, Evie's world is turned upside down. Not only has she lost her daughter, but she must also confront the startling truth that everyone in her life has been lying to her.
Libby wasn't the sweet angel her mother thought she was. Rather, she's was cold, manipulative and murdered as a result of it.
Dan isn't the devoted and loving husband he is leads everyone to believe.
Una is a woman plagued by addition and guilt over the monumental secrets she's keeping from her friend.
Jim, too, has a secret. One that could destroy him and everything he holds dear.
There are some despicable characters in this book that you'll love to hate! None more so than Libby. She's a horrible person, and it's easy to see why someone would want her dead. The question is, which one of them would hated her enough to kill?
This was a fun read. The characters were nicely developed, the plot was well paced and I enjoyed the multiple POVs. The ending was also well done with twist after twist. Someone who reads these kind of books a lot will probably guess the ending, but there were still a few fun surprises in there to enjoy. I didn't realize this was part of a series until I started it, but it works perfectly as a standalone novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Definitely a very quick read, the story was easy to follow and the pacing was good. I didn't get bored necessarily, but the plot was definitely something I've read before which was why it turned out pretty predictable for me. I liked the characters well enough, but they weren't very memorable or anything. Compared to other books, this probably would not stick out for me. I guessed the ending halfway through the book and it turned out very similar to how I imagined it, which is something I personally don't enjoy, but it still wasn't a bad ending by any means. Overall the book was fun, but not really something special that I would keep remembering in a few days or even weeks.
Trigger warning for abuse , drugs, suicide , murder , graphic description of violence , different types of trauma , betrayal and cheating
Despite the attention I put in highlighting all the possible themes that may trigger someone, I still feel like I’m missing something out.
But there’s one thing I have to say and I feel like this is the most important one…
I really liked this book … I was looking for a thriller and that’s exactly what I got … a psychological thriller that deals with child trauma, manipulation and abuse with the addiction of drugs and hidden secrets that go back in time and turn up out of the blue.
There are some innocents and naive characters who , at the end, are just the victims of the story and then that are others , born with an angel face but really with the worst intentions and some dirty secrets behind closed doors.
I was really committed in the plot and I feel like the writing style made following it even easier despite the deep, concerning and dark themes it deals with.
I’m so glad I read it !!
This was my first book from the author and it probably won’t be my last! It had me hooked from the very beginning. Even though some parts were a little predictable, there was enough to keep me guessing.
A seemingly perfect teen daughter, a doting mother, and a dinner party with friends. Libby Drayton goes out with a friend and never returns. It’s a classic whodunnit with each character having secrets of their own. Detective Dan Riley is on the case to find out what happened to Libby while revealing each other characters secrets along the way.
I’d say pick this one up if you need a quick read, but keeps you guessing. Excited to try out some of her other books now.
Two Couples. Three Secrets. One Murder.
A fantastic, mind-bending thriller dealing with..... family, friends and full blown lies and secrets!
This is a story about marriage, secrets, lies, friendship and betrayal.
The story-line is so perfect and the characters were so well-written!
This book was an entertaining read that was extremely enjoyable and hard for me to put down! It's chilling, gripping, intense, and filled with so many unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing right until that cleverly written surprise ending! Would recommend!
There are so many twists, I was seeing double! My head was spinning.
Once you start, you won’t want to put this one down!
What a compelling and absolutely riveting read.
This is the story of the Drayton family...
A mother, a husband, a very close friend and a loving beautiful girl whom you think you know oh so well, but the truth is, no one is ever who you think they are.
The atmospheric setting, the overall storyline, were engaging and compelling.
The novel was written in decent chapters, which I find really moves the plot along at a good pace.
There was an astounding plot twist that I didn't see coming, and the ending?
It was brilliant!
Bookouture Thank You for this approval I will post to my platforms closer to pub date!
A gripping and intense read. A dinner party turns sour when the hosting couple’s daughter is found murdered. Their are plenty of suspects to go around, as she wasn’t as innocent as she seemed. This was an intense, gripping read. I felt like I was watching a crime show, think Broadchurch style. I loved the author’s pacing, I enjoyed the first person POV from the detective, making him seem like the only reliable narrator in the group. Ultimately, this was a wonderful, thrilling book that kept me on my toes and had a great twist ending.
The Night of the Party by Anna-Lou Weatherley
I give this book 4.stars
A doting mother
with a manipulative daughter.
A loving husband
lying to his family.
A close friend
keeping a shocking secret.
And a beautiful girl
It’s going to be an evening none of them will ever forget………
This is part of a series which l didn’t realise but worked great as a standalone.
The story is told from Evie and Libby’s viewpoint and also Detective Dan Riley. Who is Libby really? Who can you trust ? What are the secrets and lies?
The authors writing style is engaging and pacy and l raced through this. I love any book that involves Police procedures and immediately liked Dan.
Would l recommend this book…. absolutely if you love a good thriller!
With thanks to Netgalley, Anna-Lou Weatherley and Bookouture for my chance to read and review this book
Two couples almost enjoying a party. One stunning house. And a beautiful teenager who will be dead by the end of night.
The Night of the Party follows a complex tale of lies entangled beneath the posh looking facade of the characters and you'll want to suspect every single one of them. Teenager Libby isn't just a pretty face and it's really shocking to see what she's really capable of. Did she deserve the end she got? Well, surely not. That's what detective inspector Dan Riley hopes to find. Justice.
Dan Riley is a brilliant character and I loved the police investigation. It was pacy and straight up to the point. If you ask me about the story, well it was not a new one and it definitely did not take me long to guess who the killer was. And the motive. But, I really enjoyed the pace and the writing was good. Overall, a bingeable read.
Great story about secrets and lies within a family intertwined with devastating loss of someone you loved but never really knew.
The Night of the Party is a very good read, starring Dan Riley again.
I have read books in this series before and while I always enjoy them, it is pretty easy to predict the twist/whodunnit
Nevertheless, they are still great books to read!
I absolutely love this book. The characters are fully developed and come across the pages very strongly. Their story was fascinating. As with any human, everyone has a secret. They interweave with each other lives and pull the story together. As a victim, I should feel bad, but I hated Libby with my whole being. Even though I guessed who was the murderer, there is one part of the ending that I didn't see coming. It was a great read.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Congratulations to Anna-Lou Weatherley ... a well written novel that captures you right from the start and keeps you on tenterhooks throughout the journey. A story of shocking secrets held within a family and their friends that is extremely hard to put down . A psychological thriller full of twists and turns with a challenging and thought provoking ending. Highly recommending reading and well worth 5 stars.
This one grabbed me from the first page! The story opens with a dinner party hosted by Evie and Tom Drayton. Their guests are their long-time friends Jim and Una Hemmings. Seems routine enough—just some friends getting together in the evening. Brandon and Libby, the Drayton children, make an appearance, and Libby showcases her talents for the group and then sets off for a night out with friends. Brandon steps out and then Jim leaves to attend to some work business. Brandon and Jim eventually return, but Libby does not.
The family frantically searches for Libby. Their worst fears are realized when Libby is found brutally murdered. Who could have done such a thing? According to her mother, Evie, she is the perfect child who can never do wrong and no one could possibly want to hurt her. As we delve deeper into the mystery, we learn more and more about Libby, her friends, and what kind of person she actually was. We also find out that everyone is hiding something and everyone is a suspect.
The alternating narrators of Evie, Libby, and Dan, the detective on the case switch from past to present to find out exactly how Libby ended up murdered, and who did it. This was a page turner and I could not wait to finish it. I guessed the murderer but was very satisfied with that conclusion. The last few chapters weren’t needed in my opinion, but did not take away from this excellent thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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By Anna-Lou Weatherly
Release Date 01/12/2022
I knew I was going to enjoy this book, I loved The Women Inside by the same author, and didn’t realize it was a SERIES. so that’s more books to add to my TBR
The adults are throwing a dinner party. Libby and Tom, Una and Jim there best friends are asking Evie to stop and play the piano before she leaves for the night with friends. Evie leaves but never returns home at 1030. She was also not with the friend whom she was supp to be.
Eventually, they find her brutally murdered and the homicide case begins.
However, Evie was not who she made herself out to be. At. All. She was a typical, curious, and rebellious normal teen. But her parents have zero, and I mean zero clue how much they are in the dark.
Evie was as fake as they come. She had everyone fooled around her. And she used and abused all.
Everyone looks guilty. Everyone has done something to mess with this girl, or her give it right back. And each new lead in the investigation makes you change your mind, constantly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ S̓̓T̓̓A̓̓R̓̓S̓̓
#booklover #bookworm #instabook #bibliophile #booknerd #bookstagrammer #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookblogger #booklovers #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookblog #bookstagrammers #thenightoftheparty #annalouweatherly #bookouture #arcbooks
The Night Of the Party describes a dinner party at the Drayton's house that is interrupted by a murder. Before long multiple secrets are revealed about the family and their gathered friends -= secrets you would never had guessed!
One of the main characters is Libby, the Drayton's treasured daughter. At the dinner party she plays piano to entertain the guests. But as the novel unfolds, you learn that she is not the sweet and innocent daughter that her parents believe her to be. The murder triggers an investigation and the police begin uncovering multiple secrets regarding her and others she engaged with.
I loved the twists in this novel. The characters were interesting and the story flowed and moved quickly. The middle, when the pieces began to connect really grabbed me and because "unputdownable": as described. I also loved that you truly couldn't guess the ending!
If you like domestic thrillers, secrets revealed in families and communities and murder mysteries, this novel is for you! #NetGalley #TheNightOfTheParty
This wasn’t really for me. Not sure why, but detective psychological thrillers aren’t as entertaining to me. This had a detectives perspective & I found myself glancing over a lot of what was happening from that end of things.
I do think this story had a decent premise. Libby Drayton a sweet 17 year old with a bright future ahead of her is murdered while her parents and their friends are having a dinner party. As it turns out, everyone is lying about something. Who murdered Libby and why?
I did guess The Who Done it about 75% of the way through. However, there was a twist at the end that I was not expecting. This was just an ok read for me.
I was excited to get this ARC from NetGalley (thanks!) and I knocked it out in two sittings. This book kept me guessing the whole time. There were several characters with some deep character flaws and lots of seemingly coincidences that made you think you have it figured out multiple times before landing on the correct ending. I will definitely be checking out more from this author!