I received an ARC of this upcoming novel, due to be published in the summer of 2023, through NetGalley. I am pretty sure this one will be a hit.

This is a murder mystery, set in a upscale neighborhood. At the annual block party over Memorial Day weekend, a murder takes place. The story then backs up one year. The author takes us through the year prior to the fateful block party, introducing the neighbors. All of this is provided from the points of view of Alex Fox and her high school daughter Lettie. The neighbors all have pretty major issues: marital problems, marital infidelity, drinking problems, drugs, high school vandalism, teenage angst and bullying. Some of the neighbors have history with each other. Some are blood relatives, others college classmates or high school classmates. After the initial notification of the murder at the block party, the next 75% of the book sets up the possible murder victims and potential motives. The reader gets to play a guessing game, guessing who did it AND who he/she or they did it TO.

This is a well-executed mystery. Lots of characters, but not confusing. Good pace. Many other reviewers reference Desperate Housewives, the TV series, as being a comparable setting and atmosphere. Despite all the issues facing the characters, this is not a dark novel.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. Really I'd give it 3.5 stars (c'mon goodreads, when will half stars be a thing?!) It had a lot of action and some suspense. A lot of wine and all of the suspicion and friendship that goes on in a neighborhood where people have too much money and too little time.

I really enjoyed this book about neighbors, with secrets living on the same street. Usually I prefer only a few main characters but this book had at least 9 main characters. The author brought each to life in a way that was not overwhelming. I found it easy to remember each one's background and current stories. Great read!

This book was so entertaining!! It keeps you on your toes the entire time and even while being introduced to so many different characters and connections it was easy to keep track of all the details as they were presented very clearly. This gave off a very "Desperate Housewives" vibe to me, which was super enjoyable. There is something so thrilling and addicting about feeling like you are let in "behind the scenes" of stranger's lives, it gave off the satisfying naughty feeling of hearing really really good gossip.

I really enjoyed how it started with the major event and then worked backwards a little bit, allowing the reader just enough time to try and guess or figure out what was going to happen, but not giving it all away at once.

You truly never know what is going on behind closed doors, I loved the contrast between the "perfect suburban" setting and all of the twisted secrets, The writing was smart and addictive, highly recommend!

This was a fantastic thriller from a new-to-me author, and I really enjoyed it! It took me on a ride while reading it and I know I'll be reading more from Jamie Day in the future. Would highly recommend!

Wow! What a great read! This book has it all! Interesting characters, a well thought out and developed plot line, a quick pace that keeps you turning pages, and so much more! I thoroughly enjoyed this domestic thriller about a neighborhood that seems idyllic on the surface, but has so much drama going upon underneath. Jamie Day manages to capture a realistic and believable portrait of the phrase we hear so often that you never really know what could be going on in someone’s life. This novel will keep you guessing and flipping pages right up to the very end.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

Told from the perspective of two people living on a block of neighbors who are highly involved in each other’s lives, a crime takes place during a block party. In flashbacks, we learn about the events leading up to the incident - and it’s anyone’s guess who did it and why. Unfortunately, The Block Party had too many characters and not enough excitement to keep the story moving forward. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Alton Road seems like an affluent neighborhood with perfect little families. But these families all have secrets. And boy are they good at keeping secrets. The events of this book take place at their annual Memorial Day block party. This block party is the event of the year. But will they survive the party? The evidence is turned up by the different residents telling their part of the story. You feel like you are right there in the middle of all the excitement. You really get to know the different residents of the street in a way that makes you feel like a neighbor.

This story is not to be missed. Loved every page. Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Families on the block gather for a block party. Each family has its own secrets. The reader is left to discover who was murdered, by whom, and why !

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book! Unputdownable, domestic thriller set in an affluent neighborhood block. And a fantastic debut novel from Jamie Day.

Told from two POVs - firstly from Alex who is mother to Lettie and wife to Nick as well as a divorcé mediator. The second POV comes from Lettie. The story follows these two as they both fall into the various secrets and lives of their neighbors.

I absolutely loved this thriller! It was so enticing and I flew through it. So many different side stories that all intertwine made it such a fast read. I rooted for all the women throughout the book. I tended to enjoyed Alex’s story more in the beginning but really grew to like Letties as well! Totally recommend for anyone looking for their next domestic thrillers.

The Block Party
A Novel
by Jamie Day
Description
This summer, meet your neighbors.

The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandals 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.

There are many neighbors, a wealthy neighborhood filled with everything you can imagine. Someone stands out for murder. It was not your average read of sorts of the one mean person. There are backstories and gossip, and dangI read this one and needed to know the who, why, and wow. Great read.

To be frank, I had to force myself to finish this. I hated the first 20%, and was ready to pitch it several times. Surprisingly, I kept going, and surprise again, the book grew on me. Not that this was ground-breaking or anything that I hadn't read before, but I grew into the story, and by the end, I sort of cared what happened.

If you like suburban drama with characters who feel a little familiar, you'll enjoy this.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’d never heard of the author before but read many promising reviews of The Block Party. It wasn’t the typical psychological suspense I enjoy but more of a suspenseful woman ‘s fiction. I truly enjoyed it, couldn’t put it down. It had the typical, multiple familial dramas but with ample problems & suspense. Though it’s fiction, I could see this story happening more often than not. “You never know what goes on behind closed doors!” Great read & I look forward to more of this author’s work!!

Oooooooooooooooooh, this was deliciously juicy!

You think that you know what you're getting into, that the people on this street are just bougie and entitled. But as the secrets and naughtiness are revealed you realize just how sinister thing are on Alton Lane. And I was SO there for it.

I have my eye on you now Jamie Day!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

Wow, everyone on this block has a secret to keep. This book ending with a who done it that I never saw coming. While it moved kinda slow and had more information and details than needed it was a good read.

A page turner indeed! Meet the neighbors on the coolest street in Meadowbrook. This exclusive cul-de-sac neighborhood on Alton Road is the place to live. They throw an annual block party every Memorial Day and this one most likely will be their last.....
Friends, enemies, cheaters, drugs and lots of wine. Enjoy the ride!

The Block Party was a trip! I'm so glad to have the opportunity to read this advance copy because it was a page turner that kept me captivated until the end. The whodunit - and who died?? - kept me guessing til the end and I really enjoyed all the drama and pettiness of the neighbors. Fun summer read.

I love books about neighborhoods with secrets and this did not disappoint. It’s not right up there with Big Little Lies (an all time favorite) but it’s definitely worth the read.

I'm so happy that I decided to read an advance copy of The Block Party thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley. It is a perfect beach/vacation read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was told from the perspective of both a mother and teenaged daughter, and the author did a great job bringing their characters to life, as well as the other residents of the cul de sac. Periodically, there were group chat messages from people in the surrounding neighborhood speculating on what had happened at the block party (from which they were excluded) which added some humor to the book. I found the book very suspenseful, and I flew through the book. The book includes many contemporary issues facing families which give it real substance. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the author's future books.