The friends you make in college could potentially be your best friends for life, or you can be forced to stay friends because of your choices. Emily Hunt had many male friends and seemed to collect them like a hobby but is this what lead to her death?

Fast forward to the present Will is finally getting married to Ruthie and they have invited everyone to join them on a private island on the coast of Maine. No way on the island except to come at low tide once you are there you're there until low tide again.

Cassie & Alex have been together since college, respected lawyers and parents to Zara. Mitch and Sierra tagged along with them for the trip against all their better judgements no-one wanted to go and rehash what happened years ago. After all these years of protecting one another this could be the weekend to tear them apart,

As the weekend unfolds trust and suspicion as to what the real motive for this weekend comes to light. A coastal storm knocks out power (or so they thought), there is more than one dead body and everyone is a suspect. Until Dylan shows up out of nowhere and threatens to clean house.

Twists and turns, back and forth in time had you on your toes trying to really figure out what happened to Emily oh and let's not forget Brendan who also was found dead all those years ago.

I was given this ARC for my honest review from @Netgalley and @DarbyKane with @HarperCollinsPublishers. The Engagement party is Due out on December 5, 2023. I really enjoyed this story line living on the New England coast myself I could visualize where this was taking place, the only thing I would have to say was I wished that it ended a bit sooner, I pushed through the last few chapters more so to find out the real backstory. However in the end I was surprised by what I found out and was glad I pushed through.

Four friends from college reunite for an engagement party, but things turn deadly and it becomes clear someone wants answers to the unsolved murder of their friend. Sierra, the main character, is the only one with no connection to the murder. This is a very gripping, suspenseful book, with lots of threads to unravel, and I was glued to the pages. The red herring from Mitch's past and Ruthie's motivations felt a little opaque to me at the end, but I did love how convincingly Darby Kane planted false leads and misdirection, and it was a very satisfying conclusion.

I absolutely loved reading this book. I could not stop reading it. My first Darby Kane novel and it will not be my last. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy for a honest review.

I have loved Darby Kane's previous books. This one fell totally flat with me. Since this was an ARC, I am offering my honest review and I read the book to the end. If it was not an ARC, I would have put it as a did not finish. This is about an Engagement party where people who were close in college come out to celebrate the engagement of Will and Ruthie. Will was in the friend group. Ruthie was not. She is a newcomer. We also have Mitch and Sierra, with Sierra being an outsider, and Alex and Cassie. The book gave very little introduction to the characters. Basically they received invitations and off they went. The party is being held at a remote home on an island in Maine. Turns out a storm is brewing too.

The book is a fast read with short chapters with the POV of each of the characters. So the readability was good. However, they stumbled upon something awful soon after they arrived and the book progressed from there. There is constant bickering. Stories about what happened in college that aren't true. Some stories that are true. They're all talking at once, and at times I forgot who said what. Turns out that a girl from their friend group, Emily, was murdered on graduation weekend. The question still remains as to who did it and why.

The ending was disjointed and really didn't match up to the book. It felt rushed and sort of thrown in just to end the book. I'm being vague here so as not to spoil the story for future readers. I see good reviews, so maybe it was just me. We all have different tastes. It literally pains me to give such a low review for a book by a great author, but it's an honest review. Somewhere toward the middle I really didn't care who did it or why and just wanted to finish the book. Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it and look forward to the next book from Darby Kane.

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Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley, and Darby Kane for this ARC! It comes out a day before my birthday, 12/05/23!

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 Thriller/Suspense
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 The Engagement Party
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 Darby Kane
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆
Emily Hunt went missing from her affluent liberal arts school on graduation weekend. Her body was found floating in a river, and a quiet loner who most people on campus really didn’t know committed suicide. A tenuous link—one text—bound the two dead students together and was enough for law enforcement to close the case. But they got it wrong and now someone is determined to set it right.

Twelve years later, college friends gather to celebrate an engagement over a long overdue getaway on a swanky private island in Maine—with only one way in and one way out. Sierra Prescott, invited as a guest and unconnected to past events, is the only person who soon senses not all is what it seems.

The tension in the air is ignited when they find a dead man in the trunk of a car with a note: time to tell the truth. And things only get worse. As a torrential storm strands them together, the group’s buried stories begin to surface and secrets are bartered. To survive this deadly party, they’ll need to stop a killer before they become prey.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀
𝟭. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 4/5
𝟮. 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 5/5
𝟯. 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 4/5
𝟰. 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 5/5
𝟱. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 5/5

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 4.6 (rounded to 5)

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
This was such a quick and fun read! I loved “Pretty Little Wife” by Darby Kane and when this popped up on my feed I knew I had to request the ARC! I LOVE a locked-room mystery and this fit the bill but with an exciting modern twist — internet sleuths. While digital detectives can certainly help a case (finding missing clues, spreading the word, etc.) this book shows how easily they can hurt a case and others when they get too invested! The only con about this book is that I wish the end was wrapped up a tiny bit more. I am pretty sure I “know” who is writing the book notes but I wish she would’ve come right out and said it — maybe as the last line! I really enjoyed the Author’s Note in this as Darby thanks her readers and it was a nice little pat on the back for being a literature lover!!

Song Pairing: Haunted by Taylor Swift

So fantastic, thrilling and endlessly readable. I did not want to put it down at any time. Darby Kane is an author I will always recommend.

Wow wow wow! This was my second Darby Kane book and it was a wild ride.

This book started out fast and didn’t let up one bit. The story felt almost like it could be a movie - “I Know What You Did 12 Years Ago” as the book revolves around two deaths that occurred in college and the group of friends who will go to great lengths to keep a secret.

The book is told in three points of view, always a plus, and takes place on a remote island, for an engagement party. What starts as a little reunion, turns into a who-done-it as the body count starts to rise. Just when you think you figure out what’s going on, Kane throws a twists you don’t expect, even at the very end. I really only liked one character, the rest were very easy to hate once you start learning their backgrounds, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good book!

Overall, this was a fast, entertaining read that I would highly recommend.

(Note: There were a few pages where Alex was referred to as Alec.)

For the first time in twelve years, a group of college friends meets up to celebrate an engagement on a private island in Maine. The only way in and out of the island is through a causeway that isn’t available to cross at night.

Soon after arriving, the group discovers a dead body in the trunk of a car and they realize that a killer is on the loose. Is the killer one of them or is someone else lurking in the shadows? To make matters worse, a storm is coming and several people in the group are hiding some dangerous secrets.

The Engagement Party is a modern twist on Agatha Christie’s classic, And Then There Were None. As soon as I began reading, I could not put this one down. I completely devoured this propulsive thriller in less than 24 hours! I'm a huge fan of Darby Kane and I knew this one would be great. I had so much fun playing detective and trying to figure out the whodunit parts before it was revealed. This fast-paced, locked room mystery had me on the edge of my seat with its game of cat and mouse.

The Engagement Party by Darby Kane will be available on December 5. Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley as the gifted copy!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC of this work. Darby Kane is great at writing a compelling and complicated thriller. An engagement party goes awry for former college friends with too many secrets. I appreciated that not every character was painfully unlikeable which is common in some thrillers. I personally wasn’t a fan of one point with the ending. I wouldn’t have minded a redemption arc for a certain character. But the twist was clever. Solid thriller!

Really excited about this book. It was an Absolutely phenomenal read. High will recommend to others to pick up as soon as it is released.

I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting! I love whodunnits this was a good one. I couldn’t predict where it was going and enjoyed the ride.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a tough one to review. In the beginning I loved the set-up; a secluded island, an incoming storm, a dead body and a horrific past. This had all the ingredients to make a fantastic mystery/thriller. However, about halfway through I started losing interest. There wasn't enough backstory with anyone to really create any kind of emotional connection to them or to the story itself. The last quarter of this was one of those cliched moments where the killer seems to have so much patience and explains every last detail. Yes, this is a story and we do need explanations but I didn't feel this was done the best way. It was a little too drawn out for me and one of the end reveals didn't make a lot of sense to me as to the reasoning of their crimes. Overall, this is an average Three Stars for me.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC.

Book: The Engagement Party
Author: Darby Kane
Publisher: William Morrow
Pub Date: December 5, 2023

I really enjoy Darby Kane books. I’ve read Pretty Little Wife and The Replacement Wife and liked them both. But this book was another one that has way too many characters. I just have a hard time keeping up with a dozen story lines but the plot on this one kept me hooked. I’m not sure I ever kept Alex and Will straight but I worked it out. What I did enjoy was how no one seemed to be fooling anyone. I like that everyone suspects the others for what they are really up to! Obviously there are some twists but no one seems to be fooled in the book. That was refreshing. I loved Sierra and hated Cassie. Despite there being too many characters there was nice character development to the point you felt strong emotions toward each one. What I didn’t enjoy was the ending. Like what? I wish it had went in a different direction and it came out of no where. And I’m not trying to give a spoiler but if I’m ever on a deserted island and there are 6 to 1 I’m not letting the “killer” make me zip tie my hands together. I’ll take my chances.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is December 5, 2023.

Another read left me in limbo: should I like this book or should I hate the guts of each character and wish them painful deaths? I went back and forth between three and four stars during my reading journey. I simply weighed the pros and cons to decide on my verdict.

Here are the pros:

Despite the mixed feelings I had throughout my reading journey, I must commend the book for its captivating and promising premise. The blend of a locked room mystery and elements of suspense from "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (or rather, "I Know What You Did 20 Years Ago") created an enticing storyline that initially captured my attention. I appreciate the author's ambition in attempting to deliver a suspenseful and thrilling narrative.

Moreover, having read Darby Kent's previous book, I was already acquainted with her writing style and found it enjoyable. Her ability to weave words together in a captivating manner motivated me to explore her latest work. I appreciate authors who can maintain consistency in their writing, and Kent certainly possesses that talent.

The book's strengths lie in its riveting whodunnit concept, which successfully builds escalating pressure and maintains a heart-throbbing pace. The twisty and smart ending, when executed well, adds an extra layer of satisfaction for readers invested in solving the mystery. I commend the author for delivering on these aspects and providing a gratifying conclusion.

Here are the cons:

However, there are certain drawbacks that hindered my overall enjoyment of the book. One significant issue was the presence of numerous unlikeable characters. I found it difficult to muster enough interest to care about their individual fates, except for Sierra, who is a colleague of Mitch. Sierra's attendance at the engagement party, despite never having met Mitch's irritating friends before, struck me as puzzling. I felt compelled to shake some sense into her and warn her about wasting her time with someone like Mitch. His enigmatic nature, combined with the absence of his own narration, left us with little insight into his true character. Is he a secret psychopath with a cursed genetic inheritance from his family, or is he simply a creepy and brooding individual? The lack of information made it challenging to form a solid opinion. I understand Sierra's savior complex and her protective instincts, given her own family situation, but I did not find Mitch particularly appealing thus far.

Additionally, the other narrations, such as Ruthie's perspective on her whirlwind romance with Will, and Alex's account of his marriage to the manipulative Cassie, lacked depth. The characters felt one-dimensional, lacking the necessary development to elicit empathy or understanding. Will's robotic demeanor and the absence of emotional reactions from him made it difficult to comprehend his motivations. Similarly, Cassie's portrayal as a B-list movie villainess lacked nuance, reducing her character to a stereotypical archetype. I found it challenging to fully connect with these characters due to the limited insights provided.

Furthermore, the pacing in the second half of the book became a stumbling block to my reading experience. While the opening was gripping and effectively set the stage, with the characters introduced amidst a claustrophobic and isolated environment, the momentum faltered as the story progressed. Repetitive moments and a dragging pace diminished the suspense and created moments of frustration. I found myself yearning for a tighter narrative and wished for a reduction in the book's length by 20-30 pages to maintain a more engaging and heart-throbbing mystery.

In the end, I have decided to give the book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for its intriguing and promising Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit mystery concept and well-executed wrap-up.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to NetGalley and William Morrow / William Morrow Paperbacks for generously sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to engage with and review books in advance, and I am thankful for their support in fostering an environment where readers can share their opinions.

Darby Kane is one of my go-to authors on psychological thriller/domestic suspense and it's for a great reason. Love her books!

My love for locked-room and stranded somewhere with only one way in and one way out thriller books got so much higher since I read this arc by Darby Kane.
Darby Kane did not fail at this book with alternating perspectives and twist after twist this read grips you in from the very first page to the last.
After Emily hunt is murdered 12 years ago, college friends get to together to celebrate a engagement party on a private island in Maine to what they thought was a simple get away turned into something more devious when they found a dead man in a trunk with a note that says “time to tell the truth” secrets can only be buried for so long till it rises to the surface, when I say this book is a thriller lovers dream I mean it

A group of college friends gather together on an island for an engagement party. What should be a happy occasion very quickly turns dark when reminders of their shared past, the death of their friend on graduation day, are used to toy with them.

***

*2.5 stars rounded up!*

I went into this sure that I would love it. Dark pasts. Secrets. Glamourous friends.

Unfortunately, it fell flat for me narratively. We jump into the mystery so quickly, without really getting any investment or insight into the characters. Jake, nothing about him or from him. Will, definitely not enough there. We focus really heavily on Sierra, who doesn't even have a dog in the fight per se. While the outsider perspective is needed, the emphasis was too much. I did appreciate all of the "book notes" so we could get some insight into Emily and how it was woven into the story.

I also just didn't really enjoy the constant bickering or telling of stories that clearly aren't true. It really confused the actual story and/or caused a lot of the same things to be said over and over again.

Finally, once the intensity ramped up, the characters were all doing a lot of things that just didn't make sense, and ultimately their motives didn't allign at the end either.

That being said, the twists did save this book at bit. While the ultimate "villain" of Emily's story didn't really make sense, there were plenty of well-earned twists and a lot of what I *thought* I knew ended up being turned on its head very quickly.

Some loose threads and stray spoiler thoughts:

<spoiler>
*So Cassie definitely killed Emily right? Was Will even involved? Because then why would Will want to go scare Brendan into confessing?
*Nothing about Cassie really makes sense. Why kill Emily and/or help Will cover it up. There was nothing Emily really could have done to ruin her if the story about Will was true. Her perfect life could have easily happened with or without Alex too. And what was with the whole Cassie encouraged Emily to go after Alex mentioned at the beginning? So does she love Alex or not? Girl would have been best peacing out of that situation and leaving them all behind. I'm just not sold on the motives here.
*I hate that they ultimately made Mitch kill someone. The whole idea was that he wasn't a killer, he really was a good guy. Real Dylan should have killed fake Dylan.
*Only person I really felt bad for was Alex. RIP.
</spoiler>

12 years ago at their college graduation party Emily goes missing and is found dead shortly after. Were her friends involved, do they know what happened to Emily or…

This is a great novel about college friends that meet up 12 years after graduation for an engagement party weekend. The location is a private island in Maine where they can park and take golf carts over to the island before the high tide.

The twists and turns never stop even going until the very end. A must read for mystery, thriller, suspense lovers.

Cliff notes review: an overly convoluted “I know what you did last summer” with a twist too many.

While this was certainly fast paced, aided by short chapters and alternating perspectives, it was too twisty for its own good. I sped through it, but at a certain point it got so over the top that I kind of stopped caring about the direction it was going. And after all the twists, the ending seemed rushed and incomplete.

Still giving it 3 stars for readability but the body count and twist count was too much for me!

Darby Kane's latest offering is a deliciously vicious tale of friendship gone awry. The secrets in this group have threatened to tear them apart for a long time now, and justice is finally coming. The question is: at whose hand? A thoroughly engrossing thriller. Readers won't want to miss this one!