The Final Party

My thoughts about A A Chaudhuri’s The Final Party. Wow, the story is brilliant. Every single moment is written for a reason, and every storyline is said for a reason. One event leads perfectly to the next, and then things get completely turned upside down when you least expect it. I am completely blown away by this intricate story. A A Chaudhuri’s The Final Party is an outstanding, intelligent and original thriller which does pretty everything right. 1st and foremost, the story. It’s clever, twisted and human without drowning in stereotypes. The Final Party leaves plenty of red herrings and all make not only sense but keep u hooked from the start to the jaw dropping finale. Writer A A Chaudhuri delivers yet another masterpiece that is full of praise. The Final Party story begins with six friends in a luxury villa set high in the hills above the glamorous town of Sorrento, southern Italy, three couples gather for the perfect 40th birthday celebration. Before the week is out, one of them is dead. Their perfect reunion quickly becomes the holiday from hell when one of the group starts receiving anonymous messages, threatening to expose a dark secret from their university days.
As old friendships are tested to the limit, it’s clear that what happens in the dark past won’t stay buried. Personally, I love whodunits. I especially love them I know I can’t trust what I’m reading and when I suspect the answer is being flaunted right before my eyes but I’m so engaged in the story I don’t have time to figure it out. Well, this is it. Absolutely engaging from the start and with the kind of ending you never forget. Prepare to get your brain to work. If you like riddles and thinking through different scenarios, you will definitely love A A Chaudhuri’s breathtaking thriller The Final Party. I would like to say a big big thank you to A A Chaudhuri, and publishers Hera books for kindly letting me read this brilliant thriller I’ve enjoyed reading. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The twists in this friends reunion thriller are great, as are the deep characterizations.
Thank you Hera for the digital review copy.

The Final Party is another new book by a new-to-me author, and one that I’m so glad I’ve read. I’ve only just finished it and have already bought one of A.A. Chaudhuri’s other books and have another on my wishlist; I enjoyed The Final Party so much that I absolutely must read everything she’s written!

I’m a big fan of psychological thrillers, and this is without doubt one of the best I’ve read. Talk about addictive; I finished it in two sittings, and genuinely couldn’t bear to put my Kindle down until I’d read just one more chapter. It’s full of crazy twists, sharp turns, and more shocking revelations than you can imagine, even right to the very last page.

The Final Party is set in Sorrento, Italy, and thanks to the author’s familiarity with the location, it’s all so well realised and easy to picture. It’s also a perfect place to have a years long mystery unfold, and makes everything that much more believable. Plot wise, it’s fairly simple: a posh villa is the setting for three married couples (also all best friends) to escape for a holiday, for one of their 40th birthdays, and things very quickly descend into an unorganised chaos. How chaotic, you ask? Well, let’s just say there are enough lies and secrets present to keep even the best Miss Marple wannabe rather busy indeed.

Padma, Nick, Johnny, Lana, Marcus, and Ness all narrate alternating chapters throughout the book, which gives a great insight and many different angles from which to learn what exactly is going on. I enjoyed all the parts they individually played in the story, and I must admit I was a little bit shocked at the conclusion. It’s a very clever book, and one you need to go into knowing as little as possible.

I really loved The Last Party, and I can’t wait to dig into the author’s other books. It had everything I could possibly want from this genre: alternating narrators, short chapters, multiple timelines, and a plot that constantly kept me guessing. It’s really brilliant, and I hope it finds a large audience out there in the sea of psychological thrillers. It definitely deserves to!

4.5/5.

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.

A.A. Chaudhuri is one my favourite authors which meant I was super excited to read this new book.
Wow, it certainly didn’t disappoint. Although it took me a little while to place the characters and relationships, once I did, I really enjoyed it and was really drawn into the story.
There are so many twists! I was sure I had guessed it a few times but then it took me by surprise again.
A great read that I’d recommend.

Wow what a story! So many twists and turns I did not see the ending. Fantastically written and brilliant characters. I really warmed to the characters and wanted to see what happened. A lovely backdrop with a thrilling end,

Twist after twist after twist…I couldn’t put this down! A great setting in a luxurious villa in Sorrento. Six compelling characters, each with an explosive secret. Highly recommended

This is the first book I’ve read by A.A. Chaudhuri. It was a bit slow in the beginning for me but it did start to pick up. This book had me on the edge my seat. There were so many twists! I’m looking forward to reading more books by A.A. Chaudhuri! Thank you NetGalley, Hera Books and A.A. Chaudhuri for the ARC!

An autobiy author for me who once again did not disappoint. Coyples travel to Sorrento for a vacation and dark secrets come out. Compulsively readable and inventive. Flawlessly paced and the ending ea snot predictable. Wonderful.

I finished ✔️ The Final Party by A.A. Chaudhuri and truly enjoyed this thriller. 🤩
4 ⭐️’s
Publish Day: May 25th, 2023
Kindle Unlimited: No
Six friends, one body, countless lies
Fast-paced twisty, suspenseful thriller
Compelling, accomplished, & atmospheric
Takes place in Italy 🇮🇹
I didn’t see any of the twists coming
Beautifully & brilliantly written
It’s my first book by A.A. Chaudhuri but won’t be my last
Yes, I’d recommend
#DeesReading #DeesRecs #DeesBookRecommendations #BookNerds #BookNerdProblems #BookNerdsUnited #BookProblems101 #BookNerd101 #BookNerds101 #Bookworms #BookwormProblems #BooksOfFacebook #DeeTheBookReviewer #DeesReadOfTheDay #DeesBookOfTheDay #DeesBookReviewsOfTheDay #BookReviewer #NewToMeAuthor #ReadOfTheDay #BookOfTheDay #AAChaudhuri #TheFinalParty #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher fir my copy of this book.

6 friends, 3 couples jet off to Italy for Ness’s fortieth birthday week. They are living it up in a luxury villa. Everyone has secrets, related to their time at university. Some people want to confess…

Trying hard to give nothing away!

Wow, this book! It was told by each of the characters on different chapters, and flips from the uni days back to present day. Little by little we learn the secrets that everyone is fighting to keep. I loved how everything was teased out. The final twist I never saw coming.

Loved this book, highly recommend.

A great thriller

Six from head to Italy for one of their friends 40th birthday. Things from the past bring with tension and jealous between the friends and their trip.

This is a great thriller. We get everyone POVs from present and the past. You feel like you can trust certain people and then the book goes and does a 180.

You don’t guess the twist at the end which is always a win in my book. You can feel the tension between the characters and really feel what is going on during this trip.

Definitely will be reading this authors back catalogue

This was a real page-turner! The Final Party introduces us to three couples who are longtime friends and get together at a fabulous Italian villa to celebrate a 40th birthday. We know from the start that someone ends up dead but have to wait until the end to find out who and why. Of course, everyone is hiding one secret or another.

I enjoyed this book and it definitely held my interest, although there was a LOT of foreshadowing about the different secrets that somewhat distracted from the narrative flow. I loved the descriptions of the fancy villa and of Sorrento--I could easily imagine myself there (although hopefully with a lot less drama).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The setting was great - I love a book set abroad and the writing style was really nice to read and flowed very well. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and felt like we got to know all the characters pretty well. I didn't necessarily like many of them, but they felt like real people. How 'perfect' Padma is got on my nerves a little, everyone has light and shade and it would have been nice to have seen that with her.

The plot held my interest and there were lots of twists and turns to the story. I did see most of them coming ahead of time but one twist did throw me off so I liked that. The ending was good but if I'm being picky, I would have liked to have seen the aftermath POVs from more than one of the characters but that's personal preference, I like my books all wrapped up with a neat bow!

Overall I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. Boy oh boy this one was such a page turner! So many twists and lies. I absolutely loved everything about this book, down to the 3 couples we have. 6 best friends who are all tied together under difference circumstances that keeps the reader guessing and slowly but surely the truth comes to light. I would have finished in one sitting but as usual life gets in the way. I've been in a slump too and this helped a lot. I highly recommend anyone who loves lies and twists to give this one a try, very much drama filled. Personally up to this point, this is probably been the best action packed book I've had from here.

First book I have read by A.A. Chaudhuri, and it certainly won’t be the last. The story completely sucks you in, with all the various twists and turns, and the characters were all drawn beautifully. I started this book on a Friday, and spent most of the weekend trying to get periods of rest, so that I could continue reading. The final denouement was superb. Highly recommended.

A beautifully plotted and engaging thriller, the setting for the story - Sorrento in summer added to the claustrophobia of the novel perfectly. The characters were well drawn and complex apart from Padma who was one dimensional - the others were developed in an engaging way throughout the novel. The plot was strong if a little incredulous at times but it certainly kept me turning the pages. Really enjoyed this novel and will search out more by this author.

"The Final Party" by A.A. Chaudhuri is an intense psychological thriller that takes place in the glamorous town of Sorrento, southern Italy.

The book follows three couples and their interactions with each other, which are influenced by their toxic past. Padma and Nick, Vanessa and Marcus, and Lana and Johnny go on vacation to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of them. All except Marcus are old university friends bound by terrible events. A shared secret foreshadows their lives, keeps them entwined in each other’s lives, and poisons their relationships. Pretty soon, the perfect vacation turned into the vacation from hell when one of them receives anonymous messages threatening to expose their secret and tensions are high. The vacation then takes a turn for the worse when their lives start to unravel, and the truth is leaking out.

I loved the book, but it started a bit slow for me. Although it starts with a bang – a body no less – it slows down soon after. The author flooded us with an overstuffed buffet of repetitious details and internal reflections which should be trimmed down. The chapters were long and packed, and I found it hard to connect (or like) with any of the characters. Most of them were insufferable and full of poor excuses for their behaviors (past and present). It was very readable, though, and this is why I pushed through. Once I got past the slow start, the book really started to take off for me.

The story is told from multiple POVs and bounces back and forth between different time frames. Each chapter is clearly labeled with the characters' names and timetables. There are a lot of twists and turns that will leave you spinning. The unreliable characters and the lies uncovered add to the suspense. The secret was a bit predictable, but the author succeeded in blind-sided me with twists I didn't see coming.

Don't let the slow start discourage you. The book became better and better the more you read. After a dubious beginning, this ended up being a great read, and I quite enjoyed it. That's why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The author weaves together a unique book with plenty of twists to keep you hooked up. I would recommend this book as a good read and would definitely read any further books written by this author.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

So I often find these "old friends reunite and past secrets are exposed and someone ends up dead" can be a bit repetitive and samey but I absolutely loved this one!

It starts off with a bang and then slows down a bit until the tension and pace are remped up again as you get further into the story.

It has multiple povs and to be honest, I can't say I was keen on any of the characters or their povs but I always like to think it's a sign of good writing when an author can make you strongly dislike people who don't exist! Although they are mainy hateful, they're well written and brought to life. They are who they are and they're original and unique.

As I said at the start, this is quite a common plot at the moment but this book threw in twists I absolutely did not see coming! No matter how many reunion books you may have read, this one is stoll unqie and sets itsself apart from a lot of the others . If you're going ti read just one of these type stories, this would be a really good option to go with

"The Final Party" by A.A. Chaudhuri is a gripping psychological thriller that transports readers to the luxurious town of Sorrento in southern Italy.

So, three couples head off to Sorrento to celebrate Ness's birthday. But, as it turns out, they're not just any old group of friends - they're all linked by some pretty juicy secrets from their past.

This thriller had me hooked from the start, despite the slow initial pace. And what a payoff it is - I never saw that twist coming! The tension between the characters was palpable and I was fully immersed in the story. I could feel the intensity of the trip and the events that unfolded.

Chaudhuri's writing style is vivid and descriptive, bringing the characters and setting to life.

Thank you to Hera and NetGalley for this advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nerve racking, fast paced, beautiful writing. This book has everything I could ever ask in a murder mystery. The tension was palpable, it gave me anxiety (in a good way). Complex plot and characters. This book definitely accomplishes what it’s suppose to.
I couldn’t put it down, I was incredibly invested in the plot and the secrets. An end I never saw coming.
I would highly recommend this books for everyone who like the genre and I can’t wait to read more from Chaudhuri.

📚 Book review 📚
The Final Party - A.A.Chaudhuri
4.5/5

Six friends all with secrets go away on holiday for a birthday bash which ends up being a tense getaway for all of them once their secrets are threatened to be revealed.
What a mind twister 🤯 It took me a few chapters to get used to all the characters at the start but once I did I was already hooked on the story. This really does keep you guessing and trying to figure out who did what all the way through, right up until the end. I had figured out one or two but not all. Quite a few chapters ended on a cliffhanger making me want to read the next and the next. I would recommend this if you enjoy thrillers with twists or any of @A.A.Chaudhuri books.

#bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #thrillerbooks #bookreview #goodreads #bookstagramreviews #bookstagramUK #bookrecommendations #booklover #books #netgalley #thefinalparty #AAChaudhuri

Great thriller which is set in Sorrento in southern Italy fantastic setting for this book. Old uni friend set off on holiday where secrets will be spilled. It is told by different perspectives and flips from the uni days back to present day. So many secrets so many twists and turns and the ending with the final twist was excellent did not see that coming at all. Will definitely be recommending this book fantastic thriller.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I want to thank her and Hera Books for allowing me to read it for review!

When it first started, it gave me White Lotus vibes. The setting and the vacation…definitely reminded me of that. The fact they were alone and not at a resort made that fade just a little as it went on.

It’s a story of how much the weight of secrets and lies can control and ruin lives.

I feel like it was a little slow and I didn’t notice much change in how each of the characters spoke. Each chapter was a different POV, but they all sounded like the same person to me for the most part, which didn’t really bother me but I know some people really want a lot of differentiation between the voices of characters.

I did enjoy the story and I was very interested in knowing exactly what happened and who else knew that was possibly outside the friend group.

A few of the characters were pretty horrible people, but they were meant to be, so she wrote them well.

I wasn’t necessarily on the edge of my seat, but I did stay very interested. It could have been a little faster-paced throughout. You didn’t really start finding anything out until halfway through and then it did start to pick up. I wouldn’t say I was on pins and needles, but I did want to finish to find a resolution.

There were a few shocking moments. A few I did sort of suspect, but a couple that I didn’t.

Overall, I thought it was a good book! It kept me interested and it was a good story about how secrets and lies can cause bigger issues than if you’d just been honest with people.

What,a fantastic book!!!! So many twists,in this, had to devour it in 2 days ....very very good author will read more :) amazing I'd give 100 out of 100 lol :)

Thank you to NetGalley, A.A. Chaudhuri & Hera Books for an arc of The Final Party in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

This story revolves around 6 friends who gather in Italy for a 40th birthday celebration. Soon enough, one of them is dead and another starts getting ominous messages that they are going to reveal the secrets of what the group of friends did while they were in college.

Lots of lies, hysteria, suspense, drama. This was a solid 4 star read for me. It wasn’t really a new idea. I’ve seen this trope countless times before. The characters were not that likable and at times downright insufferable. However, the suspense was great and it was a well-written book that kept me intrigued and at a fairly quick pace.

I just finished reading the book - The Final Party by A.A.Chaudhuri.

This was the first book I have read from this author and I must tell you, it has left me hankering to read more of her books. This was such a fast paced and twisty book that I just wanted to keep on reading till the last page.

The Final Party is a story about six college friends who were once very close with each other but now each of them have deep, dark secrets from one another all in the name of protecting either oneself or each other. They have gathered in the beautiful town of Sorrento, Italy to celebrate the fortieth birthday of the problem -solver of the group, Vanessa. The setting is beautiful & the atmosphere tense. The dynamics within the group have changed. Long kept secrets are threatening to come out. And each characters real personality is slowly unraveled.

Even though it took me a few pages to really get into the book, once I was hooked, I literally flew through this one. I was never able to fully fall behind a character, so brilliantly has the author shown the various shades of each characters personality. There are twists & surprises at every turn and one is left gasping the reveals. This is a story about betrayal, guilt, privileges' and conscience.

Will I recommend this book? 🌟🌟🌟🌟
An absolute must read!

I absolutely loved this gripping thriller! It was fast paced and it was unputdownable. I could not get enough. I love books like this. This was one of the best thrillers I've read this year.
I just reviewed The Final Party by A.A. Chaudhuri. #TheFinalParty #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

This book was the perfect cross between The Holiday, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six and Friends Like These. It kept me on the egde of my seat trying to figure out what they did in college and who the killer is and why the first victim was chosen. With wine flowing freely in a beautiful scenic villa in Italy, the Romans didn't coin the term "In vino veritas" for no reason - lots of secrets are bound to come out. I wasn't a fan of the multiple character POV and formatting because it was a bit confusing to follow 6 characters in the present day then jump back to their college days in the early aughts. The author luckily kept each chapter to a few pages so it wasn't too much information per each character to remember which helped when jumping between timelines and characters.

Six friends descend upon a castle like villa in Sorrento, Italy. It's a perfect site for the 40th birthday, but almost everyone attending has secrets to hide. Join these couples as many secrets are revealed over the weekend - all of them life changing!

A fun twisty thriller!
#HeraBooks #TheFinalParty #AAChaudhuri

Searing With Shocks..
As three couples come together in a luxurious villa high in the hills above sultry Sorrento for what should be the perfect reunion, the perfect celebration of a fortieth birthday milestone, nerves and friendships will be tested and they will be shredded. A compelling and wholly engaging whodunit with a deftly drawn cast populating a plot bubbling with tension, resplendent with red herrings and searing with shocks. Atmospheric and menacing right up to the, perhaps, unexpected and explosive denouement.

Three couples (who are all friends) travel to a luxury villa in Sorrento to celebrate one of the friends 40th birthday. Soon into the glamorous vacation, one of them starts receiving anonymous texts. The texts indicate whoever is sending them knows a secret and will reveal it. By the end of the week, one of the friends winds up dead.

The chapters alternate between all the characters, so we get to see the events unfold from different perspectives. As the book goes on, the readers learn more about the secrets and who knows what. I quite enjoyed this book. It made for a juicy read, full of twists and turns. Definitely will be reading more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Hera books for the advanced copy!

Another incredible read by the talented A.A. Chaudhuri!

This is written by one of my favourite authors and I especially loved that this story was told from six characters point of view.
It was thrilling throughout and kept me guessing until the very end.
Highly recommend!

My thoughts throughout…
8% in and I’m obsessed!!! So many crumbs! Loving it!
25% getting a little wordy. Let’s get to it!!
50% still wordy but it’s setting things up nicely! Tons of theories floating around in my head!
Chapter 33…..I need to knowwwww
Chapter 47…..WHAT?!?!
This was quite the ride!! I enjoyed it so much! I did figure out one of the twists. Only con is there’s alot of characters so I got confused at times and had to reread some to make sure I knew who they were.

Three couples share a luxurious villa in Italy for a fortieth birthday celebration...or so they think. Some of them have decided that it's time to bring the past to light and one of them has a devastating new secret to share. Even though only four of them attended uni together, all six of them have pieces to the puzzle of some horrific events in their last year at uni. As these pieces are gradually put together, they all realize that what they thought and what happened are horrifically different and the truth turns out to be deadly for one of them.

This is a well-written book that reveals twist after twist until the very end.

This book had me gripped from the first page.
Such an easy and enjoyable read.
The characters were well rounded and I enjoyed how the story progressed.

I liked reading from the characters perspectives and the way it went from the past to the present day.

The book was set in Italy and I could imagine being there with the vivid descriptions the author gave.

The book kept you guessing what had happened and who was the killer and why. Kept building the suspense till the final pages.

Really enjoyed this and would be keen to read more by the author.

A.A. Chaudhuri is a new favourite author of mine and I was really looking forward to reading The Final Party especially when I realised it was set around Sorrento and Capri-two of my favourite places in the entire world! And I wasn’t disappointed as the author transported me through her beautifully written novel back to the Amalfi coast. The plot is perfectly pitched as a story of friendship and betrayal with a cast of (often unlikeable) characters and multiple points of view plus a dual timeline-everything I love in a psychological thriller!
A perfect holiday buy for fans of dark, twisty and gripping reads.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
It’s Ness 40 birthday party planned by her husband and what a party it will be! He invites three couples to a beautiful location - each carrying baggage from college years and a party that went wrong—- something that should never happen. Makes you wonder if you really know your friends. Ness wants everyone to come clean but what will happen if they do? And what is the true story? And- will it lead to murder? A great psychological read!!

A fast-paced, always surprising to the last page story! The Final Party has layers upon layers upon layers of reveals. Most are not predictable and some are rather shocking. A.A. Chaudhuri has written an intense thriller that keeps the reader guessing to the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hera for the opportunity to read this ARC.

“SIX FRIENDS. ONE BODY. COUNTLESS LIES.”

The Final Party is a story about friendships, secrets, lies, and deceptions. Six friends travel to Italy to celebrate their long time friend’s 40th birthday. What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation and a chance to reconnect with friends, ends up taking a turn for the worst as secrets start to surface. By the end of the week, one of them ends up dead.

Right from the start we are introduced to all six characters with their own individual chapters detailing their thoughts regarding the trip, and more importantly, each other. There seems to be a lot of animosity between everyone that I’m honestly shocked these people are still friends! It definitely took a few chapters to really understand who is who, and how everyone relates to each other, but once it clicked it was smooth sailing the rest of the story!

I found the way the story is told, by switching between present day and the events that happened years ago when everyone was attending university, really helped pull me in and kept me wanting more and more! The present day chapters tended to end in cliffhangers and with many words left unsaid, which only made me want to read the flash back chapters even quicker! There were so many twists and surprises that I hadn’t even considered might be possible. I really love when a book truly keeps me guessing until the very end, and The Final Party definitely did that! I ended up reading The Final Party in a single sitting!

Thank you to A.A. Chaudhuri, Hera Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book! I had a great time reading this, and I look forward to checking out A.A. Chaudhuri’s other books! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

The Final Party by A.A. Chaudhuri is an absolutely phenomenal thriller and among the top ones that I have ever read!
The best way that I can describe it is to picture a switchback road that takes you to the top of a mountain, as seen from the sky. There are a number of vehicles on it, and they drive forward and then back, then forward again, and so on until they reach the top. And along the way various pieces of scenery are revealed, yet the entire vista isn't clear until the summit is reached.
The vehicles in this analogy are the six characters, each of whose point of view goes forward and back in time as their secrets and lies are slowly revealed. Having an insight into each character's feelings and thought processes is riveting and enlightening, and the events that unfold and the manner in which they are seen by different characters - the pieces of scenery along the way - are jaw dropping even when not taken as a whole.
The book holds revelation after revelation, peeling back the layers of secrets and lies slowly and inexorably, and once you think all has been exposed, the shocks keep on coming, beyond the point where a reader would expect any revelations to remain.
In short, this book is absolutely brilliant in its compelling style, its complicated characters, its intricate plot, and its shocking conclusion, and it keeps you turning the pages in fascination to the very end.
I believe that this would make an excellent thriller series on one of the streaming services.
I was fortunate to get an ARC of #TheFinalParty from #NetGalley, and anticipate that this will be one of the highest acclaimed books of the year.

Overall, this book has twists and turns coming out of every end! I found myself captivated with the various narrators and their connections to one another. I will say that I often do not like various narrators AND various time/setting changes as it can sometimes become too much to follow but felt that this was not the case! I overall enjoyed the book with the only real critique being that the final “shock and awe” felt kinda stretched.

Gripping summer read.

A group of friends from college travel to Italy for a holiday. More than one person is hiding a big secret that could blow all their lives apart.

The beginning of this book infuriated me to the point I was going to abandon it. There was one too many POV and they all seemed to be telling the same story and giving the same descriptions of each other and it was too repetitive. I'm glad I stuck with it because just under the halway point it took a turn for the better and really picked up the pace. I ended up really enjoying it. The characters were mostly unlikeable but they needed to be for the story. Think your typical rich arrogant characters and the typical do anything to fit in kids and you can picture them quite clearly in your mind as you read along. There were a few reveals throughout which were done really well, as a reader I love a nice twist in the tale. I do think it would have benefitted from an extra one or two chapters to completely round off the story but overall it is a very good holiday read.

This is such a brilliant read!
For fans of The IT Girl & The Holiday!
A slow burn, intricate thriller, patience is key as it all pays off in the end!
My fave type of thriller & I’ll be recommending - thank you!
4.5*

Three couples are spending a week in Italy together to celebrate a birthday among old friends. It soon becomes clear that terrible secrets are being kept within the group and someone turns up dead.

The Final Party is a book that I simply could not put down, I inhaled it within the space of 24 hours.

I liked the fact that you know someone is dead but have no idea who and I was immediately hooked by the first chapter. I enjoyed following along from the different character perspectives, picking up clues and hints to try and figure out the truth. The beautiful descriptions of the villa and Sorrento made it feel like I was right there in the sunshine.

The addictive plot kept me glued to the pages until the very end. I absolutely loved that this book was full of twists, lies and secrets as it made for a real rollercoaster of a read.

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers you will adore The Final Party.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This thriller is set in the beautiful Italian city of Sorrento. Six friends meet to celebrate one of their 40th birthdays. However, the sins of the past put a damper on the festive feelings. Despite being more than 15 years ago, the disappearance of a first year student at uni is something no one of them can forget and each one grapples with it in their own way. This story is told through alternating POVS amongst the friends, and even the victim. I would have loved to listen to this book as an audiobook. However, as a novel, it wasn’t the right fit for me. I felt that I didn’t get to know any of the characters too well before the voice switched to someone new. This kept the novel moving and interesting but I didn’t really connect with any of them, except Padma. The pacing is excellent and the suspense is evident but I would have liked more from each of the characters, or possibly limit the voices from six to four. Overall, this was a good read that just didn’t connect me. Readers who relish suspense novels would appreciate it though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Publishers for the complimentary digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own. This book is available on May 25, 2023.

#ad I received a gifted copy of this book and leave this review of my own accord. Thanks #NetGalley and #TheFinalParty – Available May 25th 2023.

Review: “The Final Party” is an enthralling novel that skillfully combines elements of psychological suspense, mystery, and deep-rooted friendships. From the idyllic setting of the luxury villa to the celebration of milestone birthdays, the stage is set for a perfect reunion. However, the atmosphere quickly shifts as anonymous messages start to haunt one member of the group, threatening to expose a long-buried secret from their university days.

The author expertly creates an air of tension and unease that permeates the narrative from the very beginning. As the group’s dynamics become increasingly strained and suspicions arise, readers are drawn into a web of deceit and betrayal. The characters are well-developed, each harboring their own secrets and motivations, adding layers of complexity to the story.

One of the strengths of “The Final Party” lies in its exploration of the dynamics of friendship and the consequences of past actions. As the characters are forced to confront the dark secrets they thought were buried, the narrative delves into themes of trust, loyalty, and the lengths people will go to protect themselves and their loved ones. The intricacies of their relationships are skillfully portrayed, heightening the emotional stakes and keeping readers engrossed.

The pacing of the story is consistently gripping, with the tension steadily building as the plot unfolds. The author cleverly plants clues and red herrings, keeping readers guessing and turning the pages in anticipation of the truth. The revelations that emerge are both shocking and satisfying, delivering a well-crafted resolution to the mystery.

This was such a twisty mystery about old college friends who are holidaying together eighteen years after college, all of them harbouring secrets that could blow up their whole lives if they’re revealed.

This was filled with twists and turns and follows multiple different perspectives. There are six friends and we learn a lot about each of them and all of their secrets were really shocking to me. This was right up my street! I love mysteries that take place abroad, it just adds something that makes it more thrilling to me. This was done so well and I would recommend this for thriller fans who love lots of twists!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Hera Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After my first extraordinary encounters with the writing of A.A.Chaudhuri, I couldn´t wait for her new book. Her latest, to be published by Hera Books on the 25th of May is probably one of the most surprising suspense thriller I´ve read in a long while.

Three couples, middle to upper class, knowing each other from their priviledged times at Oxford. One of them is about to reach the big 40 and they are celebrating in Italy, in a luxurious villa. But as we are about to discover ourselves, their relationship is far from being a honest friendship and every single one of them may have something to hide; their dark past is hauntimg their days.

From the very beginning until the very end, there is nothing that one can predict. Half through the book I gave up in thinking what exactly it may happen next and especially why. Thus, I was able to fully immerse into the story and emrace the author´s challenges.

The plot is brilliant and every single detail is built to surprise. There is no end to the twists and additional details that are brought into the story until the last page. It creates expectation and suspense and also keeps you glued to every single word because you don´t want to miss anything.

The characters are entangled in a game of lies and deceit, that suits them very well as it resonates with their behavior. I haven´t sympatised with any of them, but they are so human and fragile in their greed and longing to be accepted and even loved. Only they´ve found the worst possible ways to achieve it.

The Final Party is an exercise of fine psychological thriller, which is innovative, carefully elaborated and perfectly executed. Out of all the books by Chaudhuri I´ve read until now, it´s my favorite, which doesn´t mean I am not already counting the days until her next book will be out.

The Final Party by @aachaudhuri

I would like to thank @netgalley for giving me an early advanced copy of this wonderful read.

This is my first book that I've read by this author and it won't be me last. I loved this book so much. As soon as I saw the blurb I knew it would be right up my street. A group of friends, with lies, deceit and cover ups that just keep on giving in the book. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as the story unfolded. It was such an enjoyable read.

Three couples gather in Italy to celebrate their friends 40th birthday. What should be the holiday of a life time turns into the holiday of nightmares when one of them starts receiving anonymous texts threatening to reveal secrets of the past. Questioning, how well do you really know your friends?

Friendships are tested in this novel and everyone has a breaking point so who's going to break first?

This book was told in one of my favourite ways. I love duel points of view. I feel it really gives me a good insight to the characters and it was done so well in this book. I really enjoyed it. It's a cracking thriller/mystery.

Padma is a social worker and she’s happily married to Nick, whom she met at Oxford University. The couple are heading on a holiday to Sorrento in Italy with their friends: Vanessa and Marcus, and Johnny and Lana.

Padma knew Nick, Vanessa, and Johnny from Oxford. At uni, she used to go out with Johnny, but something happened to her when she was twenty and it changed her. She sustained a head injury after a night out, and when she woke up she had no recollection of what happened to her. In fact, nearly 20 years later, she is still none the wiser.

After the accident, Johnny distanced himself from Padma, and eventually they broke up. Padma started going out with Nick and the rest was history.

When the three couples arrive at Sorrento to celebrate Vanessa’s upcoming 40th birthday, it is clear that Johnny and Lana’s marriage is far from happy, and that Johnny is still in love with Padma, something that makes Nick jealous and insecure.

Vanessa and Marcus’s marriage also appears strained. It seems that she had an ulterior motive for them all to come to Italy. What is it?

Tensions become high when Johnny starts receiving anonymous threatening messages telling him that he should confess to what he did all those years ago…

I really enjoyed this tense psychological thriller. I liked the dual timeline and I was desperate to find out what happened at Oxford.

All characters had secrets of their own, some of which were quite shocking, if I am honest (I gasped when Vanessa’s was revealed!).

I am a big fan of A.A. Chaudhuri’s books and this one didn’t disappoint. Thank you to Hera Books for approving my NetGalley request. The Final Party publishes on 25/05/2023.

I just LOVE a book full of secrets and there are so many in A. A. Chaudhuri’s THE FINAL PARTY that I lost count. Absolutely everyone is keeping at least one secret from the others in this one.
It’s Vanessa’s 40th birthday and she and husband Marcus welcome two other couples that made up their very (sometimes too) close group of friends during their college days. But Vanessa has a secret she plans on sharing after a wonderful time is had by all and Marcus has been hiding a family secret for years. Then there’s Padma and her husband Nick who have been struggling to have a child for years to no avail. Again, secrets and Nick was involved in a few cover-ups years ago. And finally, we have Lana, who’s been blackmailing her husband Johnny from the very beginning, he who’s also part of said conspiracy to cover-up more than one thing from the past and was originally dating Padma all those years ago.
I tried to review how many secrets there were and I wish I had started count from the very beginning. They were coming at me so fast and furious I’d be interested in knowing how many there really were. This was a book that I COULD NOT PUT DOWN and as I was furiously turning the pages, I was dreading knowing that sooner or later it had to end. And the shocking final twist was unbelievable. No one’s secrets came out quite the way they thought they would! How did the author come up with all of this. What kind of devious mind…?
This was my first A. A. Chaudhuri thriller but it will definitely NOT be my last. This would make a great beach read but make sure you slather on enough sunscreen and that you’re not responsible for watching the kids because you aren’t going to be able to look away from this one! A PERFECT BOOK! 5+

Twisty, gripping and extremely clever. A quick read which left me breathless. My thanks to. Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.