First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Hannah Richell, and Simon & Schuster Canada, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Having never read —or heard of—Hannah Richell before, I took a gamble with this book. Richell offers up quite the story that is sure to pull the reader into the middle of the novel and leave them wondering which way is up. When a large group go camping in style, something horrible take place, forcing them to protect themselves and perhaps turn on others. Richell builds the suspense up until all is revealed and the true feelings of all come to the surface. An interesting piece that has me intrigued and wondering if I want to come back for more.

Wanting away from the busy life that London breeds, Max and Annie Kingsley decide to pack it all up and head to Cornwall with their pre-teen son to look into the quieter life. Before opening their glamping establishment, they decide to test it out by inviting some university friends to see that things will run smoothly. This is the perfect reunion for these families, as life got away from them and they have let their friendships stale.

With a number of families together, the children of various ages are pushed to interact. As the clashes between the younger ones escalate, the parental units will surely become involved, drawing lines in the proverbial sand. When something tragic takes place, all eyes turn to how these various families will cope. In a story that moves both between numerous timelines and settings, Hannah Richell offers up a special look into the tensions that arise as families seek to protect their own and toss others out to the authorities. Friendships be damned, family preservation means more than anything. Still, there has been a crime and someone will have to pay. Richell does well to keep the reader hooked in this piece.

I always enjoy a good mystery and Hannah Richell delivers one here. With her strong narrative style, she is able to push the story along, gaining momentum as the action heats up. Her eagerness to put the reader in the middle of it all is shown by the various timeline changes, as well as the setting swaps that provides all angles for the reader to see as things progress.

Character development is key to keeping the reader interested. Richell does well with that as she weaves the story around strong characters that emerge. From the central Kingsleys to some of those introduced on the glamping adventure, the characters take on a life of their own in this piece. I was happy to see things progressing and can only hope that this remains in other of Richell’s novels.

Plot twists help thicken things in this piece, especially as the mysterious nature of the tragic events heightens. The climactic build is not lost on the attentive reader, though things can sometimes be predictable. I can only hope that others felt the same about this piece, where Richell tosses many possibilities before revealing all in a monumental reveal towards the end o the book. This is the sign of a strong novel and a capable writer. I enjoyed the journey and hope others can help. With promoting a great book that many would enjoy.

Kudos, Madam Richell, for piquing my interest through this novel.

Amazing book, the kind you read through in one sitting because you need to know what happens. The stucture of the book between present tense, and the events as they occur over the weekend keeps the tension high. From the beginning, you don't know who is in the hospital bed. This isn't the only thing you don't know. Although it could feel like the author is withholding information, the back and forth between past and present reveals information as the police find out. Very satisfying read.

A reunion gone wrong. This thriller was a good read. It kept me engrossed until the end. It was very atmospheric and tense. After reuniting for a long weekend glamping trip college friends are trying to reconnect after going their separate ways. However a big storm thwarts their plans and one of the group goes missing. What ensues is suspenseful and entertaining as the rest of the characters search for missing Phoebe. The setting is perfect with the location in Cornwall which can be a wild and remote place, especially during a storm pounding the coast. This is the first book I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was a fun lifelong friend reunion story taking place during a glamping weekend away. Disaster strikes, but without all the details, the reader really isn't sure of the full extent of the problem until it all comes together at the end. The author kept me guessing, with the perspective switching between past and present throughout the book. If you enjoy mystery stories, give this one a try!

I thought that this was an entertaining whodunit! It also had the readers on a journey to who the mysterious victim was. The idea behind this story while sometimes can be predictable was fun set at a glamping holiday let owned by friends. It was a fun read that kept me turning pages to find out what was happening at the ill fated gathering!

4.5⭐️
This book was just about everything I expected it to be, but a little bit better, this book. Really had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen, as well as I was sitting here trying not to cry. Absolutely beautifully written.

I will add though, that at 64% in (location 2788 for me) that there was a name error. Fred was talking to Kira about conceiving Kira? I think it meant to say Asha though

this one was a bit too slow for me. the beginning had me hooked but I quickly lost interest. for me it wasn’t a favourite but I can see why others are loving it. it’s a atmospheric multi-pov thriller that will work for many!

👍🏼
- the kids and their POVs were interesting and kept me hooked
- the end really picked up and i enjoyed the last 20-30% a lot more than the beginning
- the atmosphere was super well written and immersed me. i had a clear picture of where we were and I love that in books!
👎🏼
- repetitive
- too slow for me
- the ending wasn’t super shocking kinda just left like okay that’s fine

pick this one up for
- an atmospheric spooky setting
- a reunion of friends where secrets are spilled and no one can be trusted

similar book recs:
- the guest list by lucy foley
- in my dreams I hold a knife by ashley winstead
- the last time I lied by riley sager

thank you to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a twisty little number and a masterclass on unreliable narrators. Truly didn’t see where it was going half the time and I loved that!

“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝, 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚏 𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎. 𝙱𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚓𝚊𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚜, 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚎𝚊. 𝙰𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜, 𝚞𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗.“

How’s that for an opening?! This quick and compelling novel from Hannah Richell begins with unease and heightened tension from word one. The locked-room mystery about a group of university friends on a glamping trip was the perfect cure for my reading slump!

“𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚕𝚢---𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜.“

I loved this fast paced and utterly bingeable read! Richell’s writing is excellent. Thrilling, mysterious, and oh so delicious. I flew through this one in hours.

“𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗‘𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖.“

What could YOU be capable of when you’re pushed to the edge?

In short: Four college friends and their families get more than they bargained for when they reunite at a remote eco-glamping site on the Cornish coast.

This is a tautly plotted locked room mystery where (1) conflict within and between the four families, (2) their frayed friendships, and (3) the hidden secrets between them drive them to commit the darkest acts.

One of the guests goes missing.

What you will get:

✔️Evocative location
✔️Atmospheric prose
✔️Thread of suspense/intrigue
✔️Shadowy characters who lurk the pages
✔️Locked room mystery
✔️Map of campground
✔️Alternating POV
✔️Multi timeline
✔️Distinct characters
✔️twisty destination thriller
✔️propulsive read

I loved that readers meet the characters first and get to ‘sum up’ who they are before heading off into the wilderness with them. The setting of the broody Cornish cliffs during a storm was the perfect backdrop to the multiple storms the four families faced. I really felt the isolation and tension.

The name of the campsite was perfect and the author’s exploration of ‘wilderness’ was stellar. I was reminded that wilderness doesn’t only surround the Wildernest glamping site in rugged Cornwall, it also rises within all of us when we’re pushed to the edge or facing extreme circumstances.

Clever use of the Cornish word ‘Morvoren.’

We never know how far we’ll go until we’re pushed to the edge….

I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.


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Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. A great thriller, with a couple of suggested outcomes, albeit predictable was told by multiple characters. I enjoyed the setting at a new “glamping” resort and reunion of a group of long time friends and their families. An enjoyable book by Hannah Richell

OMG I loved this?! Was not expecting a 4 star read of this but it really put me on a rollercoaster! Loved it, definitely recommend.

Told in a series of flashbacks mixed with current time, this novel kept me on my toes trying to figure out who died, or did anybody die?

The characters are compelling in their depth of background we only get glimpses of until the final reveal.

Max & Annie Kingsley and their 12 y.o. adopted son Kip have established a Wilderness Campgrounds. They have invited their friends to try out the camp before it officially opens. Dominic & Tanya Davies and their children - Willow (14), River (13) and Juniper (9) are used to luxury. Clare Davies the children's mother shows up later in the book. Kira de Silva, her live-in, Fred O'Connor and their 5 m.o. daughter Asha are given the tent site furthest from the others. The Kingsley's have thought of every glamping luxury. It should be a wonderful adventure. Personalities clash between the children and the adults releasing some interesting secrets.

The plot twist were well thought out and rapid as well as numerous. I had a hard time putting this one down!

A solid thriller, with a few twists and turns, that were unexpected! Good writing and character development. Overall an enjoyable read, that I went through quickly, wanting to know what was going to happen.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster / Atria Books for the advanced reading copy of The Search Party by Hannah Rochelle, in exchange for a review. I’m always excited for a locked room mystery, particularly one set in a remote and windy location. I’m also grateful when a book opens with a map and list of characters. If the story is anything like Agatha Christie (hoping), then these are necessary! The actual crime is kept hidden for (what I felt) was too long; I prefer when the mystery involves the reader studying the characters and chain of events to solve what happened. But in Search Party, we can’t do that because we don’t know what the crime is or who is the victim— barring the process of elimination by the police, which feels slow at times. The author does a good job of handling the past and present storylines, and we do get to know the characters; but as with most ensemble plots, that may leave you knowing the players but not caring enough about any specific one. When the incident is played out in detail, there’s real tension between characters and a wicked thunderstorm for good measure, but the dialogue feels clunky, and too much. I started to get lost in all the back-and-forth, and my caring for what happened began to wane. There’s are few surprises thrown in to keep you reading, and I’d say the story structure is better than average. It’s compelling enough to make me want to read another book by this author, so that’s a bonus. Also, you likely won’t guess the villain or the reason for their crimes.

just finished 'The Search Party' by Hannah Richell and it's a masterclass in suspense! 📚

a glamping trip gone wrong on the Cornish coast turns into a nail-biting thriller filled with secrets, betrayals, and shocking twists.

the story unravels during a weekend where old college friends reunite, only to find their world upended by a storm, secrets, and a mysterious disappearance.

it took me a few chapters to get all the characters straight, but once I did, I couldn't put it down.

the multiple twists towards the end were really well written!

a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery.

thanks to netgalley for a early copy -- be sure to pick this one up in January when it's released!

I did enjoy the book. It was your typical camping novel. A group on friends who get together for a fun camping adventure that turns into a nightmare.
I enjoyed the twist that kept you guessing.

Six old university friends, with their children, reunite on Max and Annie Kingsley’s Wildernest glamping site. The first night there is an incident between the children which amplifies tension the next day. As a storm blows in the children come back from their day with one less of them. The multiple story lines of missing child, whose is the hospital bed and who is dead kept me intrigued in the story.

The chapters alternated between different characters and time lines which I really enjoyed as it added to the tension of finding how the who and why. Was an easy read with excellent description of the landscape and just enough red herrings.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria books and Hannah Richell for the opportunity to read this book.

A different mystery. So many different characters, so many possibilities. I wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen. I found it hard to follow initially because it kept changing times and characters. Fortunately there are titles at the top of each chapter. I was honestly surprised with the outcome.

I read this book in two evenings. And the only reason it wasn’t one is that I had to work in the morning so I made myself get a few hours of shut eye. At work all I could think about was the novel: it’s characters, who was guilty, who did or didn’t do what, what actually happened, who was the woman in the opening scene, and where does the blame lie, and what, if any, blame is there to place, and then there are all the secrets that everyone is so intent on hiding.

This novel is a masterclass of slowly building tension and angst in a way that grips the reader from the first page. Richell juxtaposes how moments of crisis can tear you apart or draw you closer during which is a perfect storm of things that could go wrong. Told in turns by the different characters’ recollections of the weekend, largely through police interviews/interrogations, this builds the tension as we are taken to different points of the weekend to learn what happened from each character’s perspective. I really enjoyed the list of characters in family groups at the start of the book as there are a lot of characters to keep track of right off the start. There are characters I loved and one I loathed; characters I cheered for; characters I wanted to fail; those I wanted to hug; and those I wanted to trust. With depth of emotions and well developed characterization, serene and turbulent settings, just the right amount of foreshadowing and misdirection, this book is like a puzzle that gradually comes together in a tenuous ending that leaves no storylines hanging; leaving no missing puzzle pieces.

I’m not sure what more I can tell you about “The Search Party” without spoiling anything, but what I can say is that I couldn’t put it down. And that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in fact I loved it. While this might have been my first book by Hannah Richell, it surely won’t be my last.

Released January 15, 2024, this book is a must read for thriller and suspense readers. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books Simon & Schuster for this digital reader’s copy.

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