This was the classic cul de sac filled with homeowner full of secrets doing messed up things to themselves and others. Nothing new but fine nonetheless. It’s a fast read and held my interest. If you want a summer beach read this would do it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest opinion. 3.5

I absolutely loved this book! While the characters might not have been the most likable, their story was fascinating. With flashbacks that laid out all the players and their possible motives, I was constantly flipping through each of them as either the killer or victim. I really liked that this author did not let me know who had been killed until the end. It kept me turning pages and guessing. Definitely an enjoyable read.

So glad I took the chance on this book that didn’t seem ‘my type’. The way the plot is structured is brilliant, the stream of revelations just don’t stop, the characters are kind of soap opera standards. But this is a Desperate Housewives neighborhood – over the top and weirdly fun. And the whole time you are wanting to know who got murdered. Really enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read and listen to this book! Synopsis: the residents of the affluent Alton Road block of Meadowbrook, Massachusetts hold an annual Memorial Day block party. It includes all your expected block party activities: music, food and drinks, games, fireworks… and this year, it includes a murder. The residents of Alton Road all have secrets, some darker than others, and at this year’s block party, some of those secrets are going to be revealed.

Spoiler-free review: this one was a hit for me! I enjoyed the past-and-present timelines, the dual POVs between Alex and Lettie, and the intricate web of deceptions and secrets that slowly unfolds throughout the story. It’s another great “rich people behaving badly” suspense novel. The characters and the storyline cover a wide array of very real issues relating to adults, teens, neighbors, and communities. The story wasn’t far-fetched at all like some “realistic” thriller books. The characters were incredibly real and the author did a fantastic job of portraying each character’s unique voice (especially Lettie’s! She was my fave). I’d recommend this one for fans of mystery novels, plot twists, realistic plot lines, and great characters!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for my arc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Where do I start with this one? Truthfully, I found it very boring and lackadaisical. The story follows several houses that live on the prestigious Alton Road that holds an annual block party where someone is murdered. The story takes place the entire year before the murder with little sprinkles here and there of the present day which is mainly posting on the communities Facebook page (I think this was supposed to add suspense but it really did nothing but make the book more confusing). The story is also told from two perspectives - the MC, Alex and her teenage daughter, Lettie. However, there are about 10 other characters the reader must keep track of which, to me, made the book more confusing. Each character has their own "problems" (I put problems in quotations because to me, they could all be handled better through therapy sessions) which lead the reader to try and guess who the murderer is.

All in all, this book fell really short for me and I found myself rushing to finish it because none of the characters were relatable and there was no real twist. When I found out who the murderer was, I kept thinking "that's it"? Overall, just a below average rating.

The Block Party makes me glad I moved away from the suburbs!

Everyone in the cul de sac is trying to impress everyone else at their annual block party. But they are all burdened with secrets. Secrets that come out after a murder occurs at the following year’s party.

As is always the case in these suburban mysteries, almost all of the characters are privileged and intensely unlikable. I spent the entire book hoping the murderer would kill them all and then themselves. Ugh… The pacing could have been faster too. Overall, The Block Party is an okay book if you haven’t already read a bunch of books with similar themes. It might make a good beach or vacation read. 3 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Loved the premise and I'm a huge fan of multiple POV. My only critique is Lettie. Personally, because of Lettie's age, I felt I was reading YA. The plot kept me engaged and curious....so I'm happy to share this as a must read! I will post reviews on release date. Thank you to the author and publisher for the chance to review!

Alton Road is an exclusive cul-de-sac in a neighborhood. There’s a lot of drama between the neighbors. Good character development and some interesting stories. The story was enjoyable and you want to find how it ends. I did find it to be a slower read.

Alton Road is definitely not the street I would want to live on! Each summer, the residents of Alton Road have a block party. It is always sure to bring drama and excitement. This summer, however, a murder happens. The identity of the victim will keep you turning the pages. The book is packed with drama with multiple characters to thicken the plot.

This book was a decent, quick read. I feel that there could have been less characters involved in the story though. Most of the characters were not made to be likable. I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Although I felt this was a lighter, summer read, there are lots of challenging issues going in this book and in particular, the underlying theme of revenge. How many times has something been done to us and we want to get back at others? But what about the unintended consequences of revenge?

The book starts at the annual Memorial Day block party in a very exclusive cul de sac. Unlike most parties I have been to, there has been a murder. We then flash back to the previous year and we are introduced to a host of characters from the neighborhood. The story is told by Alex, a mom and professional, who has become too dependent on alcohol to get through life and navigate her relationship with her husband. It is also told by her daughter, Lettie, who is grounded for the summer for some graffiti she did as school.

The narrators try to unravel the neighborhood's secrets and sometimes make the wrong assumptions about people's behavior. There are issues of affairs, drug usage, manipulation, stalking, inappropriate relationships, rape and ultimately revenge.

Although there are very serious subjects going on in the book, it does have a lighter feel perfect for the summer with some twists and turns with the mystery of who ends up dead at the block party. It also really made me question, is revenge really worth when you see all of its unintended consequences.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Alton road is a beautiful neighborhood and famous for hosting an annual party that is exclusive to the area. Tightly wound Alex manages the party while dealing with her drifting husband, angry daughter and generally childish sister. She, like many others on the beautiful block begin to fray under the stress of contemporary life. What she didn’t expect is for someone to get murdered, but who died and who was the killer? Diving into the past, we learn about the not so perfect families on Alton Road and the secrets everyone is hiding. I loved how the book dives into the drama filled stories of all of the characters while leading us to the shocking ending. Enthusiastically recommend!

I received an ARC of this book and leave this review of my own accord. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the pleasure of reading this.
#NetGalley #TheBlockParty #KillerThriller #DomesticThriller

If the dark secrets and scandals of those who live in wealthy cul-de-secs are your thing - and you know they are, admit it! - you’ll love The Block Party by Jamie Day. I know I certainly did.

The story begins at a Memorial Day celebration on Alton Road in Meadowbrook, Massachusetts, at which time the three main characters are introduced: Emily Adair, a real estate agent; Alex Fox, the organizer of the party who is Emily’s sister, as well as an alcoholic who embarrasses her husband, Nick; Brooke Bailey, the obligatory sexy single woman, but for a refreshing change of pace this time a widow, not a divorcee.They are, to say the least, a most interesting bunch, each with something to hide. But then it seems like everyone on Alton Road is hiding something.

A murder takes place during the party. However, the identity of the murderer and victim are not disclosed to the reader until the end, which is a great plot device to keep the reader guessing and the suspense flowing. The story shifts back and forth in time from the current Memorial Day to the previous Memorial Day and the Memorial a year from the present. The story alternates being told from the perspectives of Alex and her teenage daughter Lettie. There are also chapters which are written as online chat scripts of conversations of members of the Meadowbrook Online Community Page, who were most definitely not invited to the elite Alton Road event but certainly are talking about it.

The Block Party is not just another domestic thriller. It has all of the elements of what would comprise my idea of the perfect domestic thriller. As a huge fan of that genre, I don’t say that lightly. The author has a great writing style that is exactly tuned to the story she is telling and makes the plot advance seamlessly. While I definitely did not find the characters lovable (or for the most part even likable), I didn’t find them loathsome either. They are interesting, flawed, multi-dimensional characters whose deeds and misdeeds propel a very creative plotline.

I can honestly say this is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I highly recommend it.

This book was such an enjoyable read. I was getting some Big Little Lies vibes but in a different atmosphere. Wealthy neighborhood. Big party. Neighbor’s gossip about what is happening. And more. This is told from two points of view (mother and daughter) to get the story from the adult’s POV and the teenager’s POV. The story starts at the end and then jumps back a year before and progresses forward leading up to the eventful night. There were times when it was slow but overall, I was thoroughly entertained.

The Block Party starts on Memorial Day. Someone has been shot. But who and why?

Think rich neighborhood with self centered occupants. Lots of drama, revenge, teenage angst, secrets and lies etc.

I love (to hate) the characters. They all had many sides to them. They will keep you guessing for sure.

A soap opera on steroids.

It did start out slow, but once it got going...wow.

I loved this one and can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

Great for fans of Desperate Housewives and the like.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

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What’s not to love about a neighbourhood block party? A lot apparently! Especially when on the night of the summer party there is a murder.
Secrets, scandals, betrayals - this neighbourhood has it all. I am so thankful to live on a very quiet street, with absolutely no talk of big summer gatherings and buffet tables.
I wouldn’t say this is the most original story, but I never once thought of not finishing. There are a lot of characters to keep track of (some are super annoying) and at times I felt it plodded along at too slowly.
Lots of drama, twists and still good summer reading.

All readers know is that there has been a murder at an exclusive block party. It takes Day taking readers back a full year for us to learn the causes and who is dead.

The characters in this book are so complex. Every one has so many layers, so much going on in their lives and in their heads. Despite the enhanced drama, these characters feel real. Day expertly plants seeds so it seems anyone could end up being the murderer and the murdered. I would recommend this book.

This story demonstrates one never knows what goes behind closed doors. Or what will be divulged during a block party.
I did find my attention wandering frequently while reading.
I didn’t particularly bond with any of the characters or all the secrets they harbored.
Sometimes it’s better to just keep to oneself.

This was an interesting thriller that really kicked it up a couple of notches near the end. Told in a dual timeline that really ups the ante and plenty of secrets that kept every character a suspect.

It was kinda a slow start but the drama really kicks in the last 20% of the book. It was interesting to try to figure out the twist but with so many red herrings it was a little difficult to keep all the motives and characters straight.

The Block Party is housewives of suburbia with murder! The book starts at a Memorial Day block party and we know someone is shot. It then takes us back a year to the last block party when everyone on the block was busy trying to look like perfect people. It is told by 2 people, Alex- a professional mediator- and Lettie- her disillusioned daughter. While at times they got too involved with their neighbors lives, their story kept me flipping pages quickly. Another reminder that everything is not always as it seems! Great summer read

I went into this book with such high hopes....
And came out the other end feeling duped and cheated.

Look, I don't want to bash the book. But, I really can't find a positive way to spin anything in this book. I am at a loss for words. The characters were all completely dreadful and unlikeable. They were the most selfish and one-dimensional characters I have come across in a long time. Not a single character had even the slightest redeeming quality from start to finish.

The plot was slow, cliche, and predictable. I wanted to put the book down and walk away from it too many times. There wasn't a thing that happened in the book that I didn't see coming from a mile away.

The ending left me with one big eyeroll. I just sat there, shaking my head, wondering if that really was it.

Needless to say, this book and I are not compatible.