"The Block Party" is a gripping novel that delves into the lives of the residents living in an exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road. Set against the backdrop of a seemingly idyllic suburban neighborhood, the book unravels a complex web of secrets, rivalries, and scandals that are hidden from both the outside world and each other. The story reaches its peak during the annual Summer block party when a murder takes place, leading readers on a suspenseful journey to uncover the truth.

One of the standout features of this novel is its intricate and well-crafted plot. The narrative structure, which takes readers back one year earlier, provides a tantalizing glimpse into the rivalries and betrayals that eventually culminate in the shocking murder. The gradual unveiling of secrets and the gradual escalation of tension keep the reader engrossed and eager to discover the motives behind the crime. Also, the different relationships filled with secrets and betrayal make it hard to pinpoint who has been killed and who is the killer.

Jamie Day excels in creating multifaceted characters, each with their own flaws and hidden agendas. As the layers of their personalities are peeled away, it becomes evident that nobody in this seemingly perfect neighborhood is as they initially appear. The depth of character development adds richness to the story and makes it easy for readers to become emotionally invested in their fates.

The portrayal of the suburban setting is vivid and immersive, painting a picture of a community where appearances can be deceiving. The sense of isolation within the cul-de-sac heightens the atmosphere of intrigue and suspicion, making it a perfect backdrop for a murder mystery.

While "The Block Party" is a thrilling and engaging read, it falls just shy of a perfect rating due to a few minor pacing issues. Some sections of the novel may feel slower in comparison to the more intense moments, but these lulls are relatively brief and do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.

In conclusion, "The Block Party" is a solid four-star novel that delivers a compelling mystery within the confines of an apparently tranquil neighborhood. Jamie Day's skillful storytelling, well-drawn characters, and a cleverly structured plot make this book a must-read for fans of suspense and domestic thrillers. As the layers of secrets are peeled away, readers are left questioning their own assumptions about the residents and are sure to be captivated by the surprising revelations that lie within the pages of this novel.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Jaime Day, and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for an honest opinion.

I love stories involving neighborhood drama and this book delivered just that. This story follows 4 couples - Alex and Nick, Willow and Evan, Emily and Ken, Samir and Mandy - and 1 widow - Brooke. Alex and Nick have a daughter, Lettie, who is getting ready to leave for college. Willow and Evan have a daughter, Riley, who has her own problems that she’s keeping from her parents. Emily and Ken have 2 sons, one of which is away to college (Logan), and the other who is in High School (Dylan). Samir and Mandy just moved in to the neighborhood with their own set of issues. And Brooke is a gorgeous widow that all the men are drooling over.

To anyone looking in from the outside, their lives seem perfect. But they’re not. Welcome to Alton Road, where everyone has their secrets and scandals are taking over their cul-de-sac.

I was drawn in to this book from the beginning. Who doesn’t love a good block party that ends in some exciting fictional drama? I liked how the story started present day at the block party, then went back a year to explain everything that led up to that fateful Memorial Day.

I have to eat, at first I wanted more action. I wanted more scandal. I wanted all the juicy gossip. I didn’t get why scandals were insinuated, but there wasn’t a lot of detail. I understood it when I got to the end and realized that nothing was what it seemed. This was a story of revenge and the ending was satisfying. The turn of events was well written, although, I did see one of the plot twists coming early on (the identity of Umbrella man).

All in all, it was a fun juicy read that really gave off that suburban drama feel. It kept me hooked from the beginning and I would definitely recommend it. 4/5 stars.

The Block Party starts off with a bang when during the annual Alton Road block party a murder occurs. The plot then goes back in time, one year prior, which then sets the stage for the murder that occurs. The plot slowly builds as various elements come to light, intertwining each of the characters in various ways. Around the 50% mark, the story starts building at an alarming pace and it seems like in each chapter another twist reveals itself.

The ending was great. I definitely never saw it coming and thought Day did a wonderful job pulling the entire plot together.

Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

Not only is this a whodunit, it’s a whowasitdunto.

It’s time for the annual block party for the residents of Alton Road, but this year will have one less attendee than the last one.

Split between present day and the year before, we learn fairly early on that someone won't be at the next block party, but it takes quite some time to get to the who.

This is one exclusive block party that you don't want to attend. Or maybe you do? If you love drama fueled chaos, lies, cheating, revenge, and of course, a little murder, grab your invite.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of, which keeps it busy, but everything is told from the POV of Alex and her teenage daughter Lettie.

I really enjoy neighborhood thrillers where everyone is a suspect, and this did not disappoint.

The block party on Alton Street on Memorial Day always promises to be a major event. But this year, a murder tops the party. The story goes back almost a year to fill in all the events leading up to the murder. There are quite a few characters, but they are well developed and necessary to the story. Lettie, a senior in high school, starts her summer off after getting in trouble at school. She spends half the summer grounded until mysterious new neighbors move in. She is drawn to the older son of the new couple, Jay. Jay and Lettie set out on a dangerous mission together. Lettie’s mom, Alex, is struggling with alcohol addiction, and her parents are always fighting. Little do they know that the people in every house on the block are hiding something. As it gets closer to the fateful Memorial Day party, more and more secrets come out.

This book is intriguing and there are several twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Secrets can be deadly, even in the most unassuming neighborhoods. The Block Party is set in a wealthy neighborhood. The homes are lovely, and everyone gets along, or so you'd think. At the annual Memorial Day block party, things come to a head. Then we flash back to the previous year's party, and follow the families of Alton Road as their secrets unfurl throughout that year. What a ride.

This is a great slow burn of a thriller. There are so many scandals and lies to keep up with, very engaging. I couldn't wait to see what would come out next, and to find out who the victim and murderer were. Tons of drama between all the characters. I was here for it! Would recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Twisty and fun read. Very fast paced and kept me engaged and entertained. Thank you for this arc in exchange of an honest review (my apologies for the late review, I fell behind).

The Block Party brought me back to my days of watching Desperate Housewives, with all of the secrets, lies and all of the neighbourhood drama. Having both the mother and daughter POVs was a great way to reveal the story and I thought that it brought everything together well in the end.
Thank you St Martin's Press for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this twisted, fast-paced domestic thriller. Readers will be left constantly second-guessing who they can trust.

The Block Party

HmmmI have seen less than stellar reviews for this one from friends.

I think it was good. I thought the audio was good the narrators did an excellent job. But the story itself was slightly confusing with the multiple different POV and all the different characters.

I didnt dislike it but I didnt love it - it definitely wouldn’t be a stand out thriller i would recommend.

This was a slow domestic thriller. We are following an entire neighborhood trying to figure out why the cops showed up to the annual block party. We start the story in the present, Alex wakes up still drunk and on her way to a nasty hangover with police present at the party. The neighborhood group chat is blowing up with rumors. Then we flashback to last years party and follow everyone through the year that lead to the cops showing up at this party. It wasnt a terrible story, but I felt like the author didnt know where it was going to end and there were too many plots to follow to be really interested in any one of them. With so many people and so much going on, it still felt slow.

This book gave me Desperate Housewives vibes. Alton Road is a well-to-do cul-de-sac in a Massachusetts suburb where every house (and every family) harbors its own secrets.

There were a lot of different characters and story lines, I think intended to distract and keep you guessing, but honestly it kept me from really getting engaged with any of the characters. The two most main characters, Alex and her daughter Lettie, did help it focus a little bit, but there were a lot of people to remember. I ended up not really caring much about any of the drama going on with the various families on the block nor did I particularly like any of the characters or really feel sympathy for them or their problems. I did a lot of eye rolling throughout. The story also jumped back and forth in time, which took some paying attention to which segment of the story you were currently in. And the message board thing...not a fan.

I thought there was a good idea for a story here but so many moving parts that instead of increasing the drama for me it just made me want to hurry up and find out who died so I could move on from these mostly unlikable characters.

This is good story , well written, by an author who has command over the characters and timelines. The plot moves along at a brisk pace

I absolutely love the cover of this book! I will say there are many characters and it is definitely full of secrets. A domestic suspense with only two narrators. Both unlikeable. This kept me from truly enjoying the story as much as I should have. Decent debut with potential.

The Block Party is a mystery, whodunit .overall an ok read but unevenly paced and lost my attention at times along the way.

A fun, Desperate Housewiveseque read with some darkness intertwined - I didn't want to stop reading to sleep. This would be a great vacation read!

Predictable book with a few unexpected aspects. Lettie was the only likable character for me. I could not emphasize with any of the others except maybe Mandy. The biggest takeaway I had from this book was the set convo Alex had with Lettie. I really liked the key messages and afterwards had the same convo with my son!

Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of summer, and for the residents of the exclusive upper-class cul-de-sac on Alton Road it also brings the annual block party. But this year, the police are not responding to noise complaints, they’re responding to reports of a dead body. Author Jamie Day builds suspense by not immediately revealing the victim or the exact circumstances of their death. Instead, she uses flashbacks to last year’s party and the subsequent neighborhood drama to build the list of possible casualties and criminals. For fans of Big Little Lies, this domestic thriller delivers on the juicy interpersonal drama

This was a fun, domestic thriller, taking place in a wealthy neighborhood in suburban Massachusetts. We start with a Labor Day block party where we know someone has died. We don't know who or how. We then go back to last year's block party and get to see the neighborhood dramas play out over the course of the year. Lots of potential suspects and potential victims and all kinds of motives. There are chapters from multiple points of view, which I love. This was such a fun thriller to read. It was the perfect beach read. I will definitely be passing it on to friends.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

This is definitely my kind of book — numerous MCs, all with their own issues, problems and secrets — one main setting (this time a neighborhood) — lots of juicy gossip, some backstabbing and a ton good-hearted quirkiness — topped of with great, page-turning writing! I flew through this book and relished it all. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free copy; I thoroughly enjoyed it!