It started with a block party and ended in murder!

The Meadowbrook community has an annual block party. It's a time for everyone on Alton Road to come together, enjoy a fun evening, eat good food, hear good tunes, and socialize. But in this neighborhood, there are secrets, scandals, and deception!

This is clearly not Mr. Rogers neighborhood!

Who was killed? Who is the killer? Who has something to hide?

I enjoyed how this mystery played out. There are a lot of characters, but each is unique. The book is told through the POVs of Alex and her daughter, Lettie. The book is also told in the present day and one year in the past. This could have been confusing, but I found it easy to keep track of the time.

Everyone in this book has secrets, there are those with things that want to hide, and there are those looking for the truth! This was juicy as well as entertaining and fun! I especially enjoyed that I didn't know who was killed until near the end of the book. Everything does come together with some twists and the killer reveal. I had no idea where things were going and didn't come close to guessing the whodunit.

This was a great debut novel and I look forward to what Jamie Day writes next!

4 stars

I predict this will be a favorite summer thriller for many. Even randomly reading this the weekend before Memorial Day from my home in a community very much like the one described in this novel had me longing for some icy limeade and keeping a suspicious eye on the neighbors!

Alex and Letty (not sure about the spelling on the latter since I listened to the audiobook!) share perspectives in this fun domestic mystery/thriller. Their upscale neighborhood is filled with typical seeming families and individuals, but as is also the case in reality, everyone has secrets, and there is a sinister underbelly that rolls over into the light very early in the novel. Readers and residents learn very quickly through observation and also through a Next-Door type of messaging board that an act of violence has occurred in the community, and they - like readers - can't wait to get to the bottom of it.

There are a lot of characters filtering in and out of this one, and Day creates a nice balance between past relationships, longstanding motivations, and current drama. The narration from a mother's and daughter's perspectives adds so much. Readers get insight into both the adult world and the teen world, where in this case, the teens often seem to know more, do more "grown-up stuff," and have more insights than the preceding generation. Letty, especially, is so likeable to me that I generally just enjoyed getting to spend more time in her head and learning about events through her perspective.

These folks may be living in little boxes on the hillside, but they are getting into some strange stuff in those spaces, and this is all to the benefit of the readers. Grab a margarita and a pool chair and crack this one for a fun summer thrill.

Murder on Alton Road. Many secrets among the residents of the cul-de-sac and lots of suspects. The story begins one year prior at the annual block party. Alex Fox is the key organizer of the party and a new family is about to move into the neighborhood. When Alex sees a flash of interest between her brother-in-law Ken and the wife of the new owner Mandy Kumar, she is worried for her sister Emily. Hoping to keep the connection quiet, she moves on to organize the party. As the rest of the book unfolds, we soon discover there are connections among many of the residents. Someone is a stalker, someone is on Only Fans and someone is having an affair. It's a wild year for the Alton Road resident culminating in murder. Suspenseful and will keep you guessing until the end.

Every year, the houses on Alton Road hold a block party on Memorial Day weekend. This year, things get out of control, and someone is murdered. The book starts at present day and then goes back a year earlier, where it delves into the dynamics and dysfunction in each house on Alton Road. There are 2 POVs, one is Alex, married and trained as a mediator, and the second is her teenage daughter, Lettie. Almost every kind of dysfunction can be found on Alton Road, so there is a lot going on with each family. This book centers on the neighborhood drama, not the murder. So, I would say there is very little murder/mystery here. The murder happens and then at the end, you find out who was murdered and why. The book did hold my interest, but pacing was slow at times. Also, I wasn’t really drawn to any of the characters. Overall, a solid 3 stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this digital copy.

This one is centered on a group
Of neighbors who live in a cul de sac. The annual Memorial Day party where someone does. It took me a while to understand the story is told leading up to that day and how everyone plays into what happens that day. I really
Didn’t like the writing style and it did not hold me.

I love a twisty neighborhood thriller. All those secrets behind doors! The Blovk Party has the same basic principle as many books, but done in a sarcastic and heartfelt way that made it unique.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars

Alton Road is an exclusive cul-de-sac, where the residents throw an annual block party. Normally the party goes without a hitch. However, this year, someone gets murdered. Who it is is not mentioned into much further into the book. What happened on that night? Everyone is a suspect!

The premise of this reminded me a bit of Big Little Lies, which I enjoyed. It was bingy and and full of intriguing characters. That said, the story felt a bit long and became a bit over the top toward the end. There were also a ton of sub plots that sometimes that tended to detract from the overall plot.

This book had me from the very beginning. I could not put it down. I was so invested in the charcters as I live in a small town that has this type of interaction on the internet. The ending was completly unhinged and the most unbelievable part of the story. Howvever, I was engaged as though this was real life. It is worth the read. I can not tell you how much I enjoyed this book.

If you enjoy neighborhood stories, multiple povs and timelines, and a total surprise ending, then check this one out. Over the course of this book, we follow different neighbors throughout a year to find out all their secrets, and most importantly, who was murdered at the annual block party. Lots of drama and scandal, well paced and riveting. I was really captivated by the characters and was surprised by how things turned out. This was a great domestic thriller!

After the first chapter, which was a little confusing because there are so many characters, I got so hooked on this novel I put off work I really should have been doing instead to find out what happened.

The novel opens with the block party, and it seems someone gets murdered.

We go back a year to the last block party and spend the year getting to know the neighbors in this elite cul-de-sac. There is a woman who many people think murdered her husband, another couple about to get divorced but living together until their daughter leaves for college, the new neighbors, and Alex and her sister Emily. Alex starts drinking too much, and Emily’s old fears about her husband’s infidelity have come back to the point it’s making her a little crazy.

Between the sparring adults and the misunderstandings and hurt feelings of their teenage children, there seem to be a lot of reasons someone might end up dead in a Dateline-episode-way in a year. Jamie Day manages to touch on heavy topics in an entertaining way.

This is a lot of fun. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy of this novel, which RELEASES JULY 18, 2023.

Very intriguing book! Interesting twist and well written! Instead of wondering who did it this had you thinking everyone did it. IIt started with a block party held every year in an upper class neighborhood. Someone gets killed. The book then goes back one year earlier to set up the events that lead to the murder. E dry one is the neighborhood is keeping secrets. Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

Obsessed…

I am obsessed with Jamie Day.

I love secrets…

I’m not very good at keeping them but I sure do love when you tell me them!

The Block Party is compelling murder mystery, jam packed with secrets and a twist you will never see coming.

I had requested The Block Party for the sole reason that this was a debut (how, is still beyond me) it also helped that I loved the cover .

I had been looking for a new author to love and obsess over and it just so happened that Jamie Day landed in my lap …

The Block Party is going to be loved by all and the perfect book too cozy up in the sand with .

Teaser :

This summer, meet your neighbors.

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

Good all around suspense story. Lots of hints, but you really have no idea where the story will go. It is a great read for someone wanting some family drama along with a little creepyness added.

Solid story about complicated lives

This was a good read. Neighbors with secrets. Some are a little far-fetched, but all in all it is a solid read.

You never know what goes on in people's lives, you only see what they want to project. Everyone in the Meadowbrook community lived in nice houses, dressed well, had good jobs, were fairly wealthy. Behind closed doors, this place is a mess!

Description:
On the night of the annual Summer block party, the Meadowbrook community Facebook page lights up with posts reporting sirens descending on the desirable and exclusive cul-de-sac neighborhood on Alton Road. Bit by bit, the comments trickle in, some taking pleasure in their neighbors’ misfortune and others showing concern. The truth eventually comes out. It's not an accident, or a drowning, or a fire, as some had predicted. For the first time in forty years, there's been a murder in Meadowbrook.

The residents of Alton Road—The Fox family, the core of the neighborhood but each with secrets of their own; the Adair Family, the seemingly perfect all-American family; the Thompson Family, on the brink of an explosive divorce; The Kumars, the mysterious "new neighbors"; Brooke Bailey, the "Black Widow"; and Gus Fisher, the quirky salesman— are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal unbeknownst to the outside world and even each other.

Who was murdered at the block party? Who committed the murder? And why? As the night unfolds, the residents will discover that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing—and no one—is ever as it seems. Propulsive and layered, THE BLOCK PARTY will keep you guessing until the very last page.

My Thoughts:
Fast paced and shocking in the revelations as this story unfolds. It seems like everyone on the block has a secret: alcohol dependency, drug dependency, cheating, stripping, anger issues, lying, murder. Just pick one. I would really dislike having these people on Alton Road for neighbors. I would hate all the drama, but it's certainly fun to read about it. All the tension and drama led to an explosive conclusion and the events at the block party are simply shocking. I can highly recommend this book. Great characters and a great plot kept me turning the pages.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 18, 2023.

There is no shortage of domestic drama in this new novel by Jamie Day. Things start off in the present day where we meet Alex, who is a hot mess and a half, and her husband who seems pretty damn tired of her shenanigans. There are sirens and unknown tragedy and then we skip to the past to see the story unfold. This story is the perfect definition of a domestic thriller. Multiple viewpoints, relationship drama galore, family drama, lies, and deceit are on the menu for this one. I've read plenty of domestic thrillers and I generally know where the ending is headed but I must admit, the twist definitely got me at the end.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Great book for summer with neighborhood secrets and drama. With a murder and a surprise ending, it was a story I could not put down. I'd like to read more from this author.

The elite residents of Alton Road are known for their big annual Memorial Day block party but this year's party will go down in infamy when words spreads quickly of a murder!!

The Block Party is a slow burn through the lives of the residents of Alton Road from last years block party to current! Everyone seems to have a motive for murder...or to be murdered! Is it the widow who's rumored to have killed her husband? The perfect wife/mother with a drinking problem? The troubled teenage son who holds a grudge? Or, the new neighbors who obviously have something to hide? There's a lot to unfold throughout The Block Party!!

I enjoyed The Block Party, the characters were multi-dimensional and felt realistic, the story was suspenseful and full of twists and turns and the ending held some surprises! Recommended read for psychological thriller fans!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The characters were developed greatly! The plot of the story kept my attention. It unfolded perfect timing, a thriller suspense that I loved!

The Block Party is a captivating read that holds your attention throughout. Neighborhood books seem to be all the rage in the last year or so, but The Block Party is a step above the others IMHO. It deals with a wide variety of characters, a plethora of unexpected secrets and surprises, and twists that just don't stop coming! What starts out as an annual Memorial Day block party for residents of tony Alton Road soon turns deadly.

The story is told in four timeframes: Memorial Day this year, Memorial Day last year, the seasons in between, and Memorial Day a year later. There are three POVs in play, Alex Fox, hostess of the party, a woman whose once strong marriage is on rocky ground due to her drinking; Lettie Fox, her teen-aged daughter (in her senior year of high school current year); and the neighborhood Facebook group chatter of those from surrounding streets that weren't invited to the party.

The author gives each of the fifteen families on Alton Road something to bring to the table, so to speak. There is A LOT going on in each household (much of which is unknown to the other inhabitants of the home!), and when it's all brought together, the neighborhood is a cauldron of secrets just waiting to explode. And explode it does!

This is a well-plotted and entertaining read., which makes you question if there are any "normal" people left in the world?

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for permitting me to read a DRC of this novel via NetGalley. It is scheduled for publication 7/18/23. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.