If you like books that capture your attention from page one and go on to deliver shock after shock then this is the one for you. The author keeps the tension ramped right up by drip feeding the reader little snippets of something that happened 25 years ago. This event shaped the life of the residents of the street and it is only when this secret is laid bare that they will be able to move on. The plot twists ensured that once started I couldn't put the book down and I read it in one sitting. It is well deserving of 5 stars

Absolutely brilliant, storytelling at its best just couldn't stop reading, so well written this is definitely a 'knicker gripper' from me.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from beginning until the very last page, twisty with lots of 'red herrings' thrown in I couldn't decide who was guilty. All the characters were so well developed and wow what an ending, just fantastic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending, cannot wait for the next one from Ruth Heald.

Mel moved back to the area she grew up in with her husband and child. Unable to escape the disappearance of her childhood friend she soon starts having concerns about someone following her. She reconnects with her other childhood friend who was there during the disappearance. What happened to her childhood friend? Who is following her wanting to connect? This book was a page turner.

I love Ruth Heald! This is the 3rd book of hers that I've read , and when it showed up on Netgally, I HAD to request it!

Three 10 yr old little girls sneak into the woods on New Years Eve to have a party away from the adults. Only 2 make home.
What happened that night?
Did she run away? Did the creepy man in the woods take her?

This book grabbed me from the first page.
It has suspense, mystery, and intrigue.
For fans of Kiersten Modglin, Frieda McFadden. I highly recommend you read this book

This is a quick book. The characters are nicely developed. The death of Gabbie didn’t make much sense to me and it tarnished an otherwise great story. Mel’s mom had just managed to get her daughters forgiveness so killing Gabbie makes no sense. Aside from that it’s a good read.

Mel has recently moved to Laurel Street with her family. She used to live here when she was younger and was best friends with Erin and Gabbie. However tragedy struck twenty five years earlier when Erin disappeared and only Mel and Gabbie know what happened that night. Erin’s mother Tamsin still hoped her daughter will return and after feeling shut away for too long throws a party for the residents of Laurel Street. When Gabbie has a heated argument with her husband and leaves the party she also seems to disappear. The residents rally round but is this a case of history repeating itself? A gripping thriller that will have you hooked to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Mel is going back home to the cottage she inherited from her Grandmother. She is bringing her husband Luke and little daughter. She lived there with her grandmother when her mother was an alcoholic and abandon her. She has a lot of fond memories, but she also has something in her past which haunts her.
When she was ten, she and two friends played in the woods on NYE, while their parents where at a party. One of the girls has been missing for 25 years. They all suspected a handyman, but he was never found guilty.
Now back after all these years, her other friend from that night Gabbie comes up missing after a horrible fight with her husband. She disappears leaving everything behind. Mel has seen the handyman in the woods by the cottages, could he be back and have taken Gabbie? Is she next?
This psychological thriller was intense and I was invested in all the characters. Lots of great twists and possible suspects. I would have NEVER guessed the ending!!
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this advanced copy which is available June 28, 2023

The Party on Laurel Street is a definite page turner. There were many times throughout the book that I thought I had it figured out only to be thrown for a loop over and over! The author’s attention to detail was so on point that I was able to visualize not only the characters but also their surroundings. The characters were very relatable and as I got further into the book, I felt like I too was a part of Laurel Street. The flashback at the beginning of the book was done in just the right way to give you an idea of the events that took place without going too in-depth from the start. The main character, Mel is very likable and the relationship she has with her daughter greatly impacted by what happened to her best friend 25 years before. She is less trusting of people and more observant of her surroundings as an adult given her past. I can honestly say that never in a million years could I have predicted how this story would end. The twists and turns throughout the book left my jaw on the floor several times. If you enjoy a whodunit that you just can’t put down, then this is the book for you!

This book started off strong, but as it progressed I lost interest. The twists felt unrealistic and by the end I disliked every character.

I thought the author did a good job of establishing the story, plot, and characters in the beginning of the book. However, the first ~85% of the book felt pretty uneventful, and then suddenly every plot twist possible happened in the last ~15%. This made the story kind of confusing and the ending felt rushed.

I also found it unrealistic how the main character was able to live a normal, guilt-free, life while having this huge secret that she “forgot” about ? ? Overall not a bad book, it just felt unrealistic and had a lot of whiny / infuriating characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

The Party on Laurel Street by Ruth Heald is a fairly quick read. Once you start reading, you just keep going to discover what will happen. The story did have a good ending twist.

The story starts with a prologue 25 years ago when three girls go into the woods, and only two come out. Chapter 1 begins in the present. Mel has moved back to Laurel Street with her husband, Luke. Gabbie, from 25 years ago, is still there, and they reconnect. But then Gabbie has a heated argument with her husband. She leaves the party and disappears without a trace.

There were plenty of people to suspect. I liked the mystery aspect of the story, and the characters were developed well; some you liked, others not so much!

Overall, a good thriller with good twists.

#ThePartyonLaurelStreet #NetGalley @bookouture

A fun, suspenseful and twisty read that I finished in one sitting! Loved the characters, the way Ruth Heald makes you doubt everyone and loved the ending!!

This was an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture. While the story was not bad, the writing style was a bit too simplistic for my taste. It was a quick and easy read and I did continue for the purpose of finding out just what the heck was going on.

This story has a lot of twists that I personally wasn't expecting, which had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I did try and guess who did it at random times based on the clues we're given, but I was wrong every time, which made it an entertaining read.

Besides the thrill of mystery in this book, all of the characters and their choices make it a sad read. A lot of what ends up happening could have been avoided/never happened if they had made better (smarter) choices. Instead, they end up ruining their own lives and those around them.

I would recommend this book if you're into small town mysteries!

Another great read by a fabulous author. I was drawn in from the start and raced through it.
The characters drew me in quickly and I was desperate to get to the end. As with her other books, there were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. Twenty-five years after her best friend Erin vanished, Mel returns to her childhood home. It's a tranquil and beautiful street but harbors a lot of secrets. Her friend Gabbie is still there as well. From the moment of their arrival, Mel senses unease, as strange events accumulate. Gabbie's behavior becomes peculiar, convinced that Erin's grieving mother is obsessively watching her from her window. Mel's husband is acting strangely as well. And Mel herself harbors secrets. Suddenly, Gabbie disappears and the story really takes off. There's a lot of backstory here, and the author sets the stage skillfully for what is to come. Overall a good read, but the tone is rather somber throughout and the book has a somewhat slow pace.

This was a decent read with a good mystery but i overall just found it depressing. It centers on Mel, who moves back to her childhood home with her young family after the death of her grandmother. 25 years ago, her best friend disappeared and all of the players from that night still live in the neighborhood. It’s not long before the 3rd friend that was around that night also goes missing and secrets that all of them have been harboring come to light.

The mystery in the book is sound, with a couple different questions that need to be solved. I liked Mel ok but I also felt that she was a bit judgmental and not willing to forgive others, while keeping secrets herself. There were some twists that I didn’t see coming but when it all ended I just felt sad about the way everything turned out.

Overall, definitely a page turner but was just one of those books where I felt like just a couple of things the characters did differently could have made all the difference. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book focused on new beginnings within an old setting where trauma had occurred. It Brough forward the trauma and created so much suspense and thrills along the way. A great read.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC of this. Mel moves back to her childhood home 25 years after the disappearance of her best friend, Erin. Erin's mother still lives on the street and Gabbie another friend who was with them the night of Erin's disappearance also still lives there. Mel is uneasy from the moment they arrive and strange occurrences are piling up. Gabbie is acting strange and is convinced Erin's grieving mother is basically stalking her. Mel's husband is acting strange and Mel herself is keeping secrets. Then Gabbie goes missing. Ruth Heald is a master of dropping bread crumbs and then leading you astray. You won't see the twists coming. This book should come with a warning: Don't start before bed!! Rounding up to 4.5 stars

A very good book, it took me a bit to get into it but once I did i really enjoyed it, it had so much in it and i loved the ending