A couple moves into a new place and gets invited to a party. There are some oddities, people not connecting, people hiding things, people keeping secrets, people being strange...

It's an intriguing story with the husband being an author, not wanting his wife to have friends or being around the neighbours, acting strangely and in general something is simply off. In fact, he is so strange that he really puts me off. I did not really connect with any of the characters, to be honest. I wanted to understand and root for the wife, but her behaviour did not convince me enough for me to root for her.

There are a lot of good things in this book, and I wanted to find out the motivations behind people's behaviour, but somehow the story, might be due to the characters, did not fully win me over.

I am always excited to get stuck into a new Wendy Clarke book, and her latest psychological thriller did not disappoint!

The first half is a slow burn, but also super suspenseful. Shortly after the halfway mark things slowly start to come to light (with one particularly shocking revelation!) and then it really ramps up! I knew then I wouldn't be able to go to sleep before I finished the book.

The Garden Party had me hooked from the start, with short chapters (which I love) and the POV of the two protagonists, neither of which I particularly liked in the beginning. I was flipping those pages like my life depended on it! If you've not yet tried a Wendy Clarke book, I recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an eARC of The Garden Party. Expected publication date is 14/3/24.

The Garden Party had many positive elements that I look for in a thriller — good readability, a quick pace, and shocking plot twists.
Through the entire novel, I found myself questioning each character’s reliability. There were also times I absolutely detested certain characters, in a good way. It kept me interested, for sure.
My one critique is that there seemed to just be too much going on. Surprising details would pop up randomly throughout the chapters without any context or explanation, making them seem disconnected from the story as a whole. Most of these pieces did tie together by the end, but to me felt weakly executed. However, the shock factor of several well-executed plot reveals helped my enjoyment.
I have mixed feelings about the ending. One aspect gets nice closure, but the main characters’ friendship and behavior at the end just did not seem believable to me.

Overall, The Garden Party was an exciting, suspenseful read that I would recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced reader copy.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book. But after the twist was revealed, I understood why I was so frustrated reading through things that didn't make sense to me. I'm pretty good at predictions, but I did not see the twist in this story coming. So those are all good things. I do not understand why the book is titled The Garden Party. Nothing happens of consequence at a garden party, unless I missed something but I don't think so. I last chapter felt long and winding, and I didn't feel satisfied with the ending specifically with how the characters interacted with each other. It did not feel authentic or organic. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, I just wasn't ecstatic about it.

Love a clever neighbourhood psychological thriller and The Garden Party certainly delivered! This one drew me in immediately and continued to keep my interest and attention all the way through!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Wow, what a crazy and wild ride!

Rachel and Owen move to a new neighbourhood. Their neighbours throw them a welcoming garden party - decked out with lavish drinks, food, and decor. During the gathering,, Rachel notices that her neighbour, Phillipa is completely ignoring her toddler daughter, Lexi. Lexi runs away from her mother and nearly falls into a deep pond.

Rachel is extremely bothered by the treatment of Lexi. As someone who found out that she is unable to have her own children, Rachel becomes invested in the livelihood of Lexi. She befriends Phillipa and accepts a job in her home in oder to keep an eye on Lexi. Things quickly get messy as Rachel realizes the neighbourhood is full of secrets. But, Rachel and Owen are also keep their own secrets...

What a twisty, adrenaline-filled read! I was instantly drawn to Rachel's story. Her struggles are very relatable..The character development was amazing - it definitely helped with building the suspense. The characters were all super interesting and had more dimension than many other novels. Wendy Clarke's storytelling skills are masterful. I could NOT put this one down. I needed to know what was going to happen. The Garden Party is a must read for any thriller fan!

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Owen and Rachel move home from their opulent property to a smaller place in Pond Road leaving behind Rachel’s mistakes and her dreams of a child. Owen is an author with a very successful book behind him but his last book bombed and money is tight, another reason for the move. Told in alternative chapters from Owen and Rachel’s perspectives this is a very sinister read and I had no idea who to trust.

Briefly, welcomed to their new home with a garden party in the communal gardens but only Rachel attends. Owen is busy writing and he is not very social. Five houses and it’s very mixed bunch of people living in them but Rachel is shocked when Phillipa ignores her child Lexi, even after she wanders towards the pond. Rachel determines to befriend Phillipa to keep an eye on Lexi as she is very concerned about her well-being. Meanwhile Owen is keeping his book under cover and his behaviour is beginning to bother Rachel.

I didn’t find either Owen or Rachel very likeable and both were, to me, exhibiting abnormal behaviours. Both professing undying love but certainly not acting that way. There are so many secrets, nearly everyone is hiding something - largely at the behest of Phillipa - but some have a lot more to hide than others. This was a compelling read with a very twisty storyline that had me gripped from start to finish. A good psychological drama.

4.5⭐️

Owen and Rachel had just moved to a new neighborhood in Pond Close to start fresh after Owen was having difficulties writing another novel after his last bestselling novel. He felt he needed a change of scenery since he has not been able to write for quite some time. As Rachel meets the new neighbors she feels like there is something off about them. She soon learns that the little girl that lived in the house before them died by drowning in the pond nearby. As she digs to find out how the little girl died she uncovers many secrets that will slowly unravel her life and what she knew to be true. The story was creepy and twisted which I quite enjoy. Owen alone will give me nightmares! The plot moved along at a slow pace in the beginning of the book as most thrillers do but picks up quite a bit in the second half. To the point of reading and rereading a page to catch all the nuances. Quite a solid thriller with an interesting plot and characters you love to hate.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I enjoyed it! It’s a neighborhood drama that kept my attention throughout. Sometimes neighborhood dramas have too many characters, but this one didn’t have too many. The big reveal at the end was a complete surprise for me when it was finally revealed. Thanks for the ARC, and I’ll definitely look for more books from this author in the future!

I hate Owen but I think it is because his attitude about being social reminds me of my husband. Like leave the house once in a while please! Anyway Rachel is a mess! Like a whole mess and Owen is causing it. So they sold their gorgeous estate and moved to a modern cul-de-sac home and guess what, it is creepy, as they always are.
This was pretty good. It is a little weird but I liked it.

A big thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Wendy Clarke for the ARC!

Just finished this book, and I'm kinda torn. On one hand, the story had me hooked right away. It was a real page-turner, and I flew through it quicker than usual. But, gotta be honest, the writing style wasn't really my thing. It sometimes felt like slam poetry, which didn't click with me.

Still, the suspense kept me on edge, and the twist revealing the culprit totally blindsided me. It was unexpected, but left me scratching my head a bit.

One thing I did like about the writing style though was how the author dropped subtle hints about future events. It added some intrigue without getting too detailed.

Overall, it's a solid psychological thriller, even if it didn't hit all the right notes for me. Keep an eye out for its release on March 14th 2024!

#TheGardenParty #NetGalley #WendyClarke #bookouture

Wow! I truly enjoyed this book! I do feel like it was a little hard to get into at first but after learning and connecting with the characters I loved it! So much suspense and guessing - never would've predicted the twists or the ending! I am definitely planning to pick up more books by Wendy! Definitely recommend!

This is one of those books that has your jaw on the floor! I loved the sound fo the premise and it starts off really well, good pacing, interesting characters. As the book progresses you see more about he characters and what secrets they're all hiding. There were some amazingly written twists that I never saw coming and although I'm not sure how much of a "thriller" it is, it's certainly a captivating family drama that touches on so many topics that the reader can relate to. I loved every second of it

The Garden Party was a gripping, addictive, and captivating page turner which kept me on my toes, turning the pages and wanting to know what was going to happen next! I found it to be well written, well thought out, dramatic, and hard to put down!

Moving can be stressful, but when your new neighbors throw a garden party to welcome you to the neighborhood, it makes it all worth it, right? Wrong! Owen and Rachel have not moved into Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood! Nope, they have moved into a neighborhood full of secrets, deception, and a heartbreaking history. But like their new neighbors, Rachel and Owen have their own issues and secrets as well.

I was instantly drawn into the story of this couple and their move into this tight community. There are many characters, and each has their own distinct personality and issues. This book moves at a nice pace and just when I thought I knew what was happening, a twist snuck up upon me, letting me know there was more to come.

There is a nice amount of tension in the book. I also liked that I never fully knew who could be trusted, who was reliable, and what certain characters’ motivations were. What I did know was that I was enjoying the plot, the writing, the drama, and the pacing of this book. I was fully invested in this book from the very first page and my attention never wavered.

There might be a garden party in this book but there is also so much more!!!!

Well written, tense, dramatic, and shocking!

Step into the deceptively tranquil world of "The Garden Party" by Wendy Clarke, where idyllic suburban streets mask a web of dark secrets and deadly betrayals.

Our protagonist finds solace in her new home on a peaceful street, grateful to leave behind the ghosts of her past mistakes. As she and her husband settle into their new life, surrounded by smiling neighbors and neighborhood gossip, she finally feels a sense of belonging. But beneath the surface of this picture-perfect community lies a darkness that threatens to shatter the illusion of suburban bliss.

At the heart of the story is the unsettling behavior of Philippa, a mother whose neglectful actions towards her daughter, Lexi, set off alarm bells in our protagonist's mind. Fueled by her own traumatic past and a fierce determination to protect the vulnerable, she finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of secrets and lies.

As tensions escalate and dark truths come to light, "The Garden Party" explores the devastating consequences of buried secrets and the lengths one woman will go to in order to protect what she holds dear. With each twist and turn, Wendy Clarke keeps readers on the edge of their seats, unraveling a gripping tale of suspense and intrigue.

Fans of Lisa Jewell, Freida McFadden, and K.L. Slater will find themselves utterly absorbed in this pulse-pounding thriller, unable to put it down until the final, shocking revelation. Prepare to be captivated by "The Garden Party" – a mesmerizing read that will leave you breathless and craving more.

The book starts with a garden party thrown for new residents Rachel and Owen when they move into Pond Close.
Rachel attends but Owen stays locked in his study, writing his new book, he needs it to be a bestseller after his last book flunked.

Rachel meets everyone in the close but feels that there are things being hidden from her. People act strangely when she asks questions. It was quite awkward for Rachel.
We learn more about Rachel and Owen and the neighbours throughout the book and as the story progresses it just gets better and better; the plot twists had my jaw hitting the floor.


Wendy Clarke’s style of writing drew me in from the start and kept me captivated until the very end. This was a fantastic domestic thriller.
I would definitely recommend it

Such a good book!! I didn't see the twist coming and liked the characters. I recommend this one if you like neighborhood drama.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

When Owen and Rachel move into a small happy street surrounded by a pond, Rachel had no idea what she was stepping into. She thought this was a fresh beginning after multiple failed pregnancy attempts and nannying experiences. Rachel was ready to jump into the neighborhood, meanwhile, her author husband, Owen, took the opposite approach. He locked himself daily in a room to write his next novel, ignoring the invitations and opportunities to meet the neighbors. Quickly Rachel uncovers secrets hidden in her home and eventually amongst her neighbors, she realizes she was brought here to help protect a young girl. We watch as relationships crumble, people go missing and Owen and his secret past. This one really surprised me towards the end!

You might not like Rachel but you'll feel for her even as she makes bad decisions. But she's not the only one who makes bad choices in this twisty and fast paced thriller. Short chapters make it easy to keep reading past when you should stop (as does the plot). Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I liked the story and thought it flowed very well. I didnt like some of the characters, as expected ,No Spoiler but the characters are not who you think they are... I liked the twist which was totally unexpected. highly reccommended,