The residents of tony Alton Road really know how to throw one killer party! Among the guests at The Block Party are scheming spouses, angst filled adolescents, and a whole bunch of "desperate housewives." With this crowd there's always something (or someone) to talk about. The title is a little misleading-while the "main event" takes place at the annual Memorial Day block party, most of the plot occurs during the year before this event. We learn about Alex's excessive drinking, her brother in law's cheating, and daughter Lettie's crush on an older and somewhat mysterious neighbor, along with a host of other misdeeds. Certainly the saying "money doesn't buy happiness," applies to almost everyone living in this exclusive enclave in Meadowbrook, Massachusetts. The story moves briskly despite some lag in the back story. We learn fairly quickly someone dies at The Block Party, but the victim's identity is not revealed until the end. The Block Party is not a pulse pounding thriller-most of the characters are breaking at least one law or marital vow so it's hard to summon much concern for any of them. But The Block Party is a fun ride as a peek into the lives of the upper middle class. Their money, expensive homes, and posh lifestyles don't insulate them from trouble-if anything they add to it.

The Block Party was a ride. A twisty story about a group of neighbors who all have something to hide. The reveal of the victims identity late in the book kept me intrigued, and I wanted to know how everything was going to play out. This story gave me Desperate Housewives vibes with plenty of drama to keep me hooked.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

While this book had a lot of characters to keep straight, I found myself unable to put it down! Lots of unlikeable neighbors, a couple you really felt for. I loved the twists and turns and was totally satisfied with how it ended!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a good book! I loved how this book was told from 2 different perspectives. Both perspectives flowed together nicely and kept the story going. It was full of drama and suspense and kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending was such a twist that I never saw coming and I enjoyed that.

Opening with a deadly incident at a summer block party, this breezy domestic thriller explores dark secrets and rising tensions among neighbors in a tony New England town.

A new family moving onto the block at the previous Memorial Day shindig sets off the yearlong drama, recounted through the alternating points of view of a "wine mom" and her activist daughter. A series of community messageboard posts interspersed throughout provide a humorous outsider perspective and serve as a reminder of things to come. A range of issues from addiction to abuse come to light as things reach a boiling point.

Summer fare with a bite for the suburban set.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Summary:
The neighbors on Alton Road live messy, intertwined lives and love to keep secrets. The story shifts perspectives between Alex, a mother who loves a glass of wine or 5, and her daughter, Lettie, an environmentally conscious high school student. Alex is the sounding board for the women in the neighborhood. She wants to ensure the safety of everyone, including Mandy, one of the new neighbors.

Lettie focuses on revenge. She stood up for herself when her outfit was policed at school. She was suspended when her lifelong friend turned enemy reported her as the graffiti artist.

Theme: Does honesty create more conflict or does it cause more problems by withholding potentially important information? Further, is it best to help those you care about or let them handle their problems on their own?

My Thoughts:
The Block Party started off strong on the day of the annual block party where someone is murdered. The story jumps back a year to the previous year's block party. The complex backgrounds of people in the neighborhood we presented within 50 pages. The author, Jamie Day, created complex characters with realistic backgrounds. She masterfully unfolds chaos one piece at a time leaving the reader yearning for more.

I devoured this book. I loved the division of the book into seasons. The neighborhood group page was entertaining and realistic. Sure, some of the mysterious aspects could be guessed, but the journey was worth it.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: July 18, 2023

I loved this book. If you liked Desperate Housewives and/or Big Little Lies and/or Little Fires Everywhere, this will be right up your alley!!

The dark suburbia trope was ON point, and there were strong vibes of rich people behaving badly.

The dual POV component added considerably to the tension—I feel like each chapter ended on a very intriguing note.

The characters felt dimensional and distinct, which was key because there are quite a few.

Overall, I’d say this is a very well-executed thriller. I enjoyed it so much, I’m sure I’ll read it again. Hats off to Jamie Day!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free Arc in exchange for my honest review! I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to read this one.

This book grabs your attention the minute you attend the block party. Wow, what a party and unlike any neighborhood gathering I've been to. This murder mystery is full of suspense and drama. Well written with interesting characters and an engaging story line. I read a free copy via Net Galley and voluntarily chose to review it.

Pub date: 7/18/23
Genre: mystery/domestic suspense
Quick summary: Alton Road has a killer summer block party - literally. Can the events of the past year help you guess whodunnit?

BIG LITTLE LIES made the neighborhood/school moms drama its own subgenre, and I just love these books. THE BLOCK PARTY definitely delivered with the suspense and drama - I'm glad my neighborhood is not this intense or incestuous. I loved getting to know all the characters, and author Jamie Day did a great job sprinkling little twists through the narrative to keep me engaged. I would have read it in one sitting if I hadn't had to work!

I think BIG LITTLE LIES fans will find a lot to like here, just like I did. The mid-summer pub date makes it perfect for your summer beach bag - kick back and watch the drama unfold.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Started this book at the beginning of the week and just finished now ! Loved all the characters and that the book went back and forth between mother and daughter . So much twists and secrets that I didn’t wanna stop reading until I finished :)

I love A good whodunit amongst friends and this one didn’t disappoint! What starts with a vague Facebook post in their community forum, the members of an elite neighborhood start piecing together that there’s been a murder on the culdesac. Scandalous and delicious this debut is one not to miss!

3.5 ⭐️ A fast paced story but I didn’t find any of the characters likeable so was hard to connect or root for any of them.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. When a murder happens on a quiet street, everyone becomes a suspect. You don't know who you can trust. This book was okay.

My thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this arc to enjoy.

The Desperate Housewives of Wisteria Lane have a run for their money with the women of Alton Lane! The story opens with gun shots and message board discussions of 2 fatalities from a block party. You dond know who.they are. Story switches being told from the POVs of one of the one of the women and her teenage daughter that reveals secrets of stalking, affairs, murder, statutory rape, drug addiction, blackmail and potential domestic violence..

Loved it. Quick read, kept me engaged. More please!

Block Party was a train wreck I couldn't look away from. The anticipation and mystery kept me going, but it was truly a trashy story about trashy, rich people. Very unrelatable characters. So many people I wish I had never met. There was no one to root for. Except for maybe Lettie, but then she was obsessed with a boy for no real reason. At least that part was a little redeeming in the end, but I don't know...
There are ways to making interesting stories and characters without making the reader feel completely disgusted by them. Isn't there? I guess if you like to watch Desperate Housewives or Jerry Springer then you'll love this.

This book was FANTASTIC. Fully developed characters that brought equal parts likability and disgust. The story line was deep enough that I wasn’t able to easily anticipate the outcome. The best thrillers are those that keep you guessing until the very end! This is the best book I’ve read so far in 2023!

To me, The Block Party felt like a classic rich people neighborhood murder mystery book. It felt like something that’s been done before, but it did it decently well. I was engaged for most of the book and enjoyed the story that was being unraveled every chapter.

I wasn’t a big fan of Lettie. She was annoying to me and I didn’t like her narration.

I agree with some other reviewers that I wish the book focused on a smaller number of characters - at some points it felt like there was a lot going on with every single character so there was a lot to keep track of.

Overall it wasn’t my favorite book but I did enjoy it, 3.5/5 stars!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

TheBlock Party for me was a bit slow and at times going in many directions at the same time but not ending up anywhere. Lots of characters with integral problems. I kept waiting for it to become really interesting and that only started to happen at the very end.

This book had many, fun twists and turns and kept me guessing, I loved that it was unpredictable. Definitely a thriller with a side of soap opera which I also think is a good thing! My minor complaint is that the teenage narrator was not a very believable teen, very clearly an adult writing what they think teens would say/think. Also the other lead/narrator was a female alcoholic and I feel like that trope is a bit stale.

[3.5 stars]

The Alton Road Memorial Day Block Party starts out with a bang - literally. Readers are then brought back in time to explore the events leading up to this annual event. The cul-de-sac has many tense relationships, but are these relationships volatile enough to lead to tragedy? Everyone has their secrets but when the time comes to reveal them, nothing will ever be the same for this quiet neighborhood.

I was so invested in this book, waiting for it to become a true "thriller." However, that moment did not come until 90% of the way through the book. I did enjoy all of the build-up, but as other reviewers have said, some parts could have been condensed to focus on different elements of the story. Parts of the ending felt rushed and unrealistic, as well. Overall, I did really enjoy this book and I am looking forward to what Day has in store in future releases.