A really tense read, cleverly plotted and set in a beautiful setting.I was gripped by this one and kept guessing as the story evolved - a great read for summer!

Something went horribly wrong when six friends had a beach party thirty three years ago and things aren’t looking too clever when each one of them gets a chilling message calling them out and reminding them what’s been dead and buried for years with flashbacks between the times and the music references . A clever I know what you did that summer of 89… well written angsty thriller. I read an advance copy of this book and my review is voluntary

The Beach Party focuses on a group of friends where a tragic accident took place on holiday. Many years later the group receives individual letters asking them to return Mallorca as someone is threatening to reveal secrets of the past.

The book is told from duell points of view and goes back to 1989 and then the present day. Although, the book is marketed as a twisty thriller, I'd say it's more character driven and focused on character development. The characters are hard to like especially one in particular and I found that quite hard as I like to have at least one character I can resonate with.

I did find this book more of a slow burner than a fast paced twisty thriller and I do prefer my thrillers to be of a faster pace. But the book does pick up as it goes along and I was invested in the story and was curious to find out what happened. I also really enjoyed the ending and I was happy that it was concluded in a satisfying way.

It's the summer of 1989, a luxurious villa in Mallorca, six friends staying at Nina's family villa for a two week post graduation holiday.

The nights were filled with drinking, taking drugs and partying, until something goes horribly wrong at the beach party, which will forever change their lives.

Thirty three years later Nina received an email telling her that they know what she did all those years ago and for her to return back to the villa.

This amazing book kept me up late as I could not put it down. The characters were engaging and they felt real.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 4/5 from me. A great beach/ summer read. This book tells the tale of 6 friends who celebrate rate the end of uni in 1989 by going to the villa that Nina’s parents own. Wealthy, entitled, charismatic Nina leads the group who are bound by their university experiences but have very different backgrounds. Set mainly against the backdrop of 80’s music, rara skirts and Elnette hairspray the group party hard until an almost inevitable fatal event. Skip forward 33 years and the now disparate group are being blackmailed by someone claiming to know what happened that fateful night. A Darwinism tale of survival of the fittest, had me on the edge of my seat at times. Some glaring grammatical errors in the Netgalley copy which I’m sure will be corrected before publication.

I enjoyed this book, it was a good summer read. The story flits between current day and 1989 when 6 friends from university go off for a holiday trip to a villa on Majorca. The story was well paced and gripping, with a couple of shocking twists thrown in. The characters were well written and believable, and there was a satisfying ending. Overall I enjoyed this and would definitely recommend. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. I have also posted this review on Goodreads.

The Beach Party
⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This was not what I was expecting it to be in terms of the plot. I’ve read a lot of classic murder mysteries in a limited or isolated setting, and I thought that’s what this would be.

However the plot devices used were unexpected and it was a very different setup to what I expected! This meant there were plenty of twists and turns I didn’t see coming, but also meant I was sort of longing for a more classic storyline.

I loved the 80s vibes this book brought, as I haven’t read many thrillers set in the 80s without being overly nostalgic. I wasn’t so connected with any of the characters so didn’t find myself rooting for anyone really, but maybe that’s because I couldn’t relate to them due to the time period!

The chapters were very short and quite pacy sometimes. Although there were sections in this book that I found to be very slow paced and I found myself skimming over some bits that felt a little too slow and irrelevant to the storyline.

The writing was really good at building tension and unveiling secrets, and I found the book a very easy read overall. I think I would have enjoyed this one more if I hadn’t been on the verge of a reading slump going into it, as I’ve seen some other brilliant reviews on the tour.

It’s definitely one to take away to your beach holiday, or read in the holiday ‘hangover’ period to remind yourself of the sunny beaches while you’re sat in the torrential rain of the English summer 😅

I have to say I struggled with the book initially. After the initial few current day pages, it felt like we were thrown into the 1989 holiday without having a clue who all of the ‘cast members’ were. Names were mentioned like you should know what the relationship between them all was – and no back stories given. The back stories did reveal themselves during the book – but I found it weirdly discombobulating at the start. (No other review I’ve read have said this – so maybe it’s just me? I was also reading it on my phone not my Kindle – as for some reason NetGalley wouldn’t permit this to be sent to Kindle – so maybe that was a contributing factor and it’s not the book’s fault at all?!? Plus I was reading The Fifth Guest by Jenny Knight on my Kindle at the same time, which had a similar cast of characters and premise.)

The group have graduated from Birmingham Uni (my hometown, so very much enjoyed some of the Brummie references!) and have headed off to Nina’s family’s swanky villa in Majorca. The description of the villa and Spanish countryside is excellent, and you can really imagine being there (those steep steps down to the water make me feel a bit squeamish even now as I don’t like heights!)

Nina is most definitely Queen Bee – with the others all part of her harem. Whilst I was only 15 in 1989 – the descriptions of the era are brilliant – and really evoke that time. There are clearly various issues between different members of the group of ‘friends’ – and these start to become evident during the holiday – peaking in the drama during and after the beach party (no spoilers here!)

I felt the pace really picked up then – in the aftermath of the incidents – and it was exciting to read what was going to happen next!

The group – or some of them (intrigue!) – are then reunited 30+ years later, to discuss the fall out from that fateful 1980s night.

The plot twists and turns loads, some of these I guessed, some I didn’t (I like that in a book – I want to be able to guess some storylines so I feel smug – but also be shocked by some of the outcomes so it’s not predictable!) but after my initially misgivings, I really did enjoy this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. The book came out a few weeks ago – and will make a perfect sunbed read (although maybe not if you’re in Majorca?!)

Loved it, and was invested from the very start. Loved how the plot developed and was left guessing til the end. I book I want to read slowly to make it last longer but also wanted to fly through it as I wanted to know what happened in the end. Went out and bought the book once it was published I enjoyed that much.

I enjoyed The Beach Party and could see this being adapted by Netflix!
The story moves between two timelines now and July 1989 and centres around six friends (or rather frenemies I would suggest) who go to a villa in Mallorca for a booze and drug-fuelled fest holiday.
The suspense and sense of unease begins from the very first page and I was immediately drawn in.
You get a sense of dread and impending doom that all is not well within this friendship group and this holiday soon becomes a nightmare.
Nina is the self-appointed head of the group, a confident, selfish and entitled young woman who likes to be in charge. The others follow in her wake, but it is clear that most of them have some moral debt to pay to Nina.
It’s clear that Nina holds something over most of the members of the group – and bit by bit these secrets are revealed.
There’s twists and turns a plenty.

This is a character focused thriller with an underlying simmering tension and one that I found addictive with its short chapters and backstories being teased out.
From the off you know that something bad will happen and are just waiting for the crescendo.
There’s toxic people in this story and I only really liked one or two of the characters but I was desperate to know what was going to happen next.

Fast forwarding 33 years later to ‘now’ and an anonymous person is contacting each of three group with a menacing threat that they must return to the villa in Mallorca or else.

With secrets coming to light and lives unravelling, this gripping twisty thriller keeps the suspense going until the very end.
Some parts of the story I could see coming but I enjoyed this book despite a few grammatical errors and repeated words in sentences.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Viking.

Ooh I enjoyed this book! I loved the 80s references in the scenes set in 1989 and I was definitely transported to the beach scene with them. I listened to an interview with the author and she said she had chosen an insolated villa on Mallorca to create a kind of locked room feel. This is a great thrilling holiday read, although maybe not if away with friends you have negative history with! I liked how we saw the difference in the characters 30 years later and how their lives have diverged.

My favourite quote:
"You've pasted a shiny new life over your past, like strips of wallpaper."

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin General UK for this ARC.

This book is set in dual time, 1989 and Current Day.
Past - In 1989, a group of 6 uni friends gather in Mallorca for postgrad celebrations that ultimately leads to tragedy
Present - Someone knows the covered-up secrets of that night and is seeking revenge..

This gave me 'I know what you did last summer vibes' initially.
The characters were not likeable straight of the bat and I was worried that I simply wouldn't care what happened to them (Zoe was okay), however the storyline itself ramped up about halfway through and I couldn't put this little gem down.

Great holiday book and I do recommend.

What should have been a fun holiday to Mallorca turns into an absolute nightmare and what an engrossing ride it was. Really enjoyable book, when Nina and her crew agree to go to a beach party, they didn’t bargain for the outcome. A myriad of poor decisions led to the initial accident and the situation they found themselves in, and as they tried to deal with it and in equal measure hide what had happened. As loyalties are tested, cracks begin to show in the friendships and as it turns everyone has something to hide.

A clever book with highly flawed characters who carried what happened with them for over thirty years. The characters were quite unlikable but believable and consistent in their behaviour as the book jumps from 1989 to now. A good summer read with plenty of plot twists.

4 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect beach read, a page-turning thriller that you definitely should be packing in your suitcase this summer!

In 1989 six friends jet off to Majorca to celebrate the end of university. What should be fun in the sun takes a very different turn when a beach party ends in tragedy. Fast forward to the present day and members of the group receive emails from someone who knows the secrets they have all been keeping about what happened on that holiday and wants someone to pay.

As someone who graduated in 1989 this was a book full of nostalgia for me with plenty of familiar references from the era. And I know Deia, where the book is set, very well - so the gorgeous setting really came to life. With a cast of complicated but interesting characters, including some you will love to hate, there are plenty of twists in the tale - and the short chapters ensure it is one is those books that will keep you saying “just one more” as you race through the book.

This was the first Nikki Smith book I’ve read, I will be looking for others now!
Really enjoyed this, would recommend.

Six friends.

The holiday of their dreams.

One night that changed it all . . .

1989: The tunes are loud and the clothes are louder when a group of friends arrives in Mallorca for a post-graduation holiday of decadence and debauchery at a luxury villa.

A beach party marks the pinnacle of their fun, until it isn’t fun any longer. Because amidst the wild partying, sand flying from dancing feet and revellers leaping from yachts, an accident happens. Suddenly, the night of a lifetime becomes a living nightmare.

Now: The truth about that summer has been collectively buried. But someone knows what happened that night.

And they want the friends to pay for what they did.

This was my first time reading a Nicki Smith book and I was totally hooked! I enjoyed the flip between past and present to better understand the story of this group of friends and how one night shaped all their lives. A must read this summer

Smith is not an author I'm familiar with, but the signs I was going to enjoy her work were good when I found myself engrossed after only a few pages. But…oh yes, there's a but…I am not a fan of present-tense narrative. I absolutely hate it. I've never found an instance where it works, and it certainly doesn't here. It's almost strangulating. As the story is told over two time frames, about thirty years apart, I did hope the past story, at least, would be in the past tense. But no, more stultifying present-tense narrative. Alas. One star lost, I'm afraid.

Nevertheless…it's a gripping story about revenge. Revenge is a dish best served cold, they say. In this instance, I'd say it's frozen pretty solid…it's had over thirty years to ice over. Six university friends go on a Spanish holiday, and the partying takes a dramatic turn. Thirty years later, the events of one tragic night come back to haunt them.

Despite the fact that it's hard to like any of the six…they range from an arrogant bully to a compliant minion…it's a gripping story, well written for the most part (spelling/grammatical errors), and the characters, despite their unlikeability, contribute to a tense and gripping story.

Despite the oh-so-tiresome present-tense narrative, I'll definitely read more of this author.

I loved the author's first two books and while, unlike most of the other reviews here, this was my least favourite, I still found this a fast paced, enjoyable read, with lots of twists and turns. Characters you can love to hate and secrets galore!

Set over a dual timeline, 6 friends go on what should be the perfect holiday, and end up in a nightmare. What a ride, and what a read, literally one night I stayed up late to find out what happened to a certain character as I needed to know. It was tense, dramatic, and tested friendships to the absolute limit. I thoroughly enjoyed the dual aspect, as it was interesting to see where everyone ended up and how it all concluded. Want a perfect summer thriller? This is it!

The Beach Party is the first book by Nikki Smith I have. I loved the premise and was looking forward to finding out where the holiday in Mallorca would take all the characters. I found it easy to get to know all of them, but the excitement for the holiday and the anticipation of it were palpable. I picked it because I wanted a summer-themed book.

As a person with severe, complex physical and sensory disabilities as well as spastic (tight muscles) and difficulty pronouncing words, I especially felt for Zoe, and identified with her worry about her mother, disabled and dependent on others, as she wonders if her mother will be OK while she’s away on holiday at her friend Nina’s family’s villa in Mallorca.

Nikki Smith represents Zoe’s mother’s disability very well and sensitively. I liked this, and it makes for good disability awareness.

I got the impression that Zoe was someone I’d want to know because of her caring, loyal nature. Her reactions to fear or unease are just the same as mine would be.

What she thinks, feels and experiences are especially detailed.

Nina was unlikeable at times because of her strange sense of humour and had a definite mean streak. I was wondering what secrets Aidan and Will, the guys in the story, had in their lives. She seems like the life and soul of the party, and a real party animal. I enjoyed the friends’ sense of fun.

I liked Claire, Will and Aidan.

I was thrown into the atmosphere, and the prologue sparked my curiosity.

The detail is great. Nina’s family’s villa is amazing and stunning as are the surroundings and the whole island. Mallorca is somewhere I’ve never been, and this novel made me want to go there.

I was keen to find out what was going to happen and more about the characters. I love books with secrets in them. Any book that has a mention of Spain and especially a setting there and it’s one that I am interested in. The dual timeline was another thing that kept me interested.

The Beach Party is a standout thriller in my opinion. Full of twists, turns and unexpected things happening. It sent shivers down my spine, yet I didn’t want it to end.

There’s a real atmosphere of excitement at spending a vacation with your friends.parties, sun fun, and good times. But also a constant sense that something isn’t right.

I was hooked from the start to the end.

It’s really a book that makes you wonder who you can trust, and especially whether you can really trust your friends.

I’m looking forward to more books from Nikki Smith. Thanks to Nikki Smith and Viking for my eARC in exhange for an honest and voluntary review.

I have found a new favourite author!

5 stars but deserves more.