The Beach Party is a quick read that gripped me instantly. A podcast about an unsolved murder brings ghosts from the past back with a vengeance. Lacey was murdered and her murderer was never brought to justice. Childhood friends Katie and Sophie start a podcast determined to solve the mysterious case. “When someone dies, they become perfect. The tragedy eclipses any character flaws or bad memories you have of that person. I couldn’t forget. Neither the image of her body on the ground nor the sadness of her friends and family could take the place of my anger.” Someone knows the truth and the answers have the power to change lives forever. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.

I am a complete sucker for anything with a cold case or podcast plot line lately. Good debut novel from Amy Sheppard! Sophie and Katie have a podcast that revolves around unsolved crimes. They are working on a case that happened a couple years prior to these best friends meeting in Katie's hometown. The way the story goes from past to present and back again really keeps you hooked! I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait to read her next novel.

This plot grabbed me straight away. It had me guessing all the way through. I loved the small town vibe and loved the idea of the true crime podcast. It held my interest as I had a connection to the characters.

Beach parties are the best! But not for Lacey, who never makes it home. And that means that there is a killer among them. An engaging read, kept me guessing!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC, looking forward to reading more from this author!

I adore any books set in Cornwall and love to read how the authors describe the rugged coastal coves and beaches. In The Beach Party which is set in the fictional town of Pengully (a play on the north cornish town of Pengelly I’m assuming!) a murder took place 5 years ago, and despite the efforts of the police force it never got solved. So years later journalist Katie returns to her home town of Pengully to solve the case with her friend Sophie. who convinces her to make a podcast for the radio. Katie knew Lacey the girl who was murdered and was at the Beach Party.

You will be kept guessing all the way to the end as Katie interviews many people for the podcast. Then you will be in for a massive shock!

The Beach Party is a brilliant read that has many twists and turns. A 5 star read for sure! I can’t wait to read Amy Sheppard’s next book!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a fast read for me! Definitely twists and turns, with some expected plot but also a few unexpected surprises. I finishing it in one sitting. Would recommend to people who love this genre!

I have just finished this book and have read a book with a very similar plot a couple of weeks ago. So similar that I get confused thinking about them and which was which
Well written with a nice sense of place and good characters, but a more original story would have been better

The title and cover totally sold this book to me being a party animal what better way to have a party than on the beach! But this is no normal beach party. Set in Cornwall Lacey doesnt make it home and she is found in the sand dunes.

We follow a pulse racing addictive read full of mystery trying to piece a jig saw together working out what happened to her. When we follow a podcast story told from Katies POV of a cases that happened 5 years go. Although I read this I think it would make a brilliant audio book.

I love that no one knows what happened to her and who killed her. I mean even I am included in that sentence….talk about guessing until the end and keeping me in suspense. This is totally gripping on the edge of your read and the first book that I have read by the author. She is definitly an author to watch for.

Amy Sheppard’s The Beach Party is a smart, scintillating and sophisticated thriller full of jaw-dropping twists and turns guaranteed to get your heart pounding.

Parties are supposed to be fun – they are certainly not meant to end up in cold-blooded murder, but that’s exactly what happens to a group of people who come to the shocking realization that a murderer is lurking within their close-knit circle. Out of this particular group, Lacey has always been the centre of attention. Adored and admired by everybody she comes across, this particular party is relaxing at the beach and watching Lacey dancing in the moonlight and dazzling everybody who claps eyes on her.

Lacey’s boyfriend looks at her adoringly while her little sister, who has spent her entire life in her eldest sibling’s shadow, is also watching her. Then there’s Katie, who is not exactly in the mood for celebrating as she is reeling from the fact that the man she loves had been forced to leave the party early. As the evening winds down and everybody begins to make their way home, little do they realise that their entire world is going to be turned upside down by a shocking revelation: Lacey, the girl everybody loved, has been found murdered with the heart-shaped locket she always wore around her neck missing.

Lacey had spent the evening at the beach surrounded by her nearest and dearest, but which one of them killed her? Will the truth ever come to light? Or will it end up dead and buried under the sand forever?

A deftly written thriller full of secrets, lies and deception underpinned by a juicy undercurrent of tension and suspense, The Beach Party is a chilling page-turner that keeps you on tenterhooks until the very last word. Amy Sheppard knows how to draw her readers in and keep them guessing and in The Beach Party she has penned a binge-worthy thriller that is absolutely impossible to put down.

This book kept me guessing. I enjoyed trying to figure out the plot twists, but I did wish for a greater sense of urgency.

What happens when you’re not only forced to relive a tragic event but also do a podcast on it? This is the central conceit of the book. The main character, Katie, faces this. In the process, she realizes that her perspective on the event is lacking and that more secrets remain hidden even years later. The author does a great job of plausibly making everyone a suspect, which makes it a more engaging read. If I had to say anything negative about the plot, it’s that after the climax, everything seems rushed. The culprit and motive are revealed, and then everything else gets a quick mention to wrap it up. But that’s minor compared to how great the rest of the novel is. For more details, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture.

A great read
Was hooked from page one to the last
And the ending wow you won’t see that coming
Thanks NetGalley

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This book checked all the boxes for me in a psychological thriller. It's a very addictive read that you will not be able to put down so prepare yourself for a long night of reading. The ending will knock your socks off. ENJOY!

An interesting premise, the synopsis alone made me curious about this book. I do also love a new Bookouture author- so instantly this was going to be a must for the TBR.

This is a book I could easily imagine on screen. The author has included great suspense and tension in the pages of this book. I can safely say Sheppard has kept me guessing throughout this one.

The Beach Party is a book that will pull you in. There are a mix of characters- some you trust and others you are unsure of. This definitely hasn’t disappointed.

I love the twist at the end. It’s one that I didn’t see coming and has left me speechless. I have devoured page after page of this one. I love how Sheppard writes, there’s a real sense of familiarity.

I definitely want to read more by this author. This book is perfect for fans of the genre.

I love when I'm not able to predict the ending and this one had me guessing the entire time. Great hook in the beginning, a little slow in the middle and then picked up again at the end. Very well written, had me wanting to get to the end to see how it all played out.

I loved the beginning of this and then in the middle it lost me and then at the end it picked back up. It's a physcological thriller that had me guessing right until the end. Lots of unexpected twists and turns. I was intrigued. I would love to read more from this author.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and Amy Sheppard for allowing me to read and review this book.

Originally I was having a hard time getting into this book, but once I did it was such an easy and quick read. I loved trying to piece together the past and the mystery along with the main character.

The characters and storyline are interesting and well written. The twists and turns also keep you engaged.

I really enjoyed the story. It’s so well written and makes you want to find out what happened.

ave you ever been to a party that gets out of control? Teenagers, alcohol, and secrets are running ramped. At the end of the party one of them is dead. Lacey Crew is dead and it remains a mystery.

Fast forward 5 years later, Katie and Sophie decided to start a True Crime Podcast called “Small Town”. They get that opportunity to go to Pengully to do a show to investigate the old murder. Do they find out what happened?

The story started off slowly, but as the girls' progressed with their podcast, more secrets and lies were exposed and revealed to the reader.
It moved really fast towards the end and the reader sort of figures out who the murderer is - only to be shown to be wrong.
A great, easy read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

This was a fantastic psychological thriller that had me gripped from the start . Loved all the characters in this book and love a really well written story that looks back to many years ago and the future and how it all intertwines throughout the book. Would really highly recommend this book it is such a good read that is very hard to leave down .