The Dinner Party

A missing child. A dinner party. Secrets and red herrings. Realistic characters. These all keep this novel moving quickly. Trying to discern the ending is difficult. This whodunit of intrigue is written by a talented author. I did have trouble with the format. So many voices and time periods. Also the podcast was not easy. Thanks Netgalley

Rebecca Heath is inviting us to another party from hell (“The Summer Party” was her debut book last year), and it’s time to consider the new invitation to “The Dinner Party”.

In 1979, before ubiquitous home security cameras and hi-res baby monitors, three couples left their homes for a potluck dinner party at the neighbors’ and left their children asleep in their beds a few hundred feet from the festivities. A designated dad would periodically check on the kids. When Frank checked on his 4 month old Megan, there was an empty crib.

Forty years later, Ruby Costa is featuring the disappearance on her “The Callaghan Baby Podcast,” renewing interest in the case. Ruby’s major source is Amanda, baby Megan’s ten year old sister, now fifty and with two daughters and grandchildren of her own. On the anniversary of Megan’s disappearance, a stranger appears at Amanda’s home, with a “proof” that she’s her sister. But Amanda has been devastatingly fooled before by imposters and her daughters Billie and Eve are very protective. If this is really Megan, what happened 4 decades ago? And if it’s not Megan, why is this woman (Donna) trying to worm her way into their lives?

Ms. Heath’s narrative moves between the podcast that establishes the 1979 timeline and what’s happening with Amanda, Billie, Eve, and the latest Megan. The tension builds since Amanda’s oldest daughter, Billie, does not trust Donna’s story. This is a domestic thriller with a lot of tension and suspicion and it’s also a story about sisters and their complicated relationship with their mother. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Nathan has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO I did learn that a wattle is another name for an acacia.

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

What a fun fast paced modern thriller! I loved the plot bouncing between the current day drama of the missing Callaghan sister, the podcast revealing the “truth” and the past on the night of the Dinner party. What a great thriller!

this is one of those novels you pick up and immediately find yourself unwilling to put it down until everything is explained. One thing I appreciated about this story was that I was genuinely not expecting most of the twists and turns. The story is complicated enough to be interesting and keep you on your toes, but not too complicated to confuse you. The ending leaves some to the imagination but the mystery is solved and all the important details are tied up. Fabulous read!

Oh another podcast included mystery. I feel like there’s so many books like this now. This book was interesting because of the she’s missing but now she’s back plot and having it be 40 years later. Like where was she what was she doing how did she get out. I loved it and it kept me guessing

Wow, what a fantastic domestic thriller! A baby went missing over 40 years ago, with the case going cold decades prior. The family has tried their best to solve this mystery, but without new evidence, they continue to wonder what happened to her. After a podcast is released detailing the events of her disappearance, someone shows up claiming to be the missing baby! Of course, everyone is skeptical, but her sister wishes it to be true so very badly. The story kept me interested, while enjoying the character development very much!

thank you NetGalley for this ARC- all opinions are my own

ARC for honest review

Wow! Best book I have read this year. I couldn't put it down. The twists and turns, it literally made my jaw drop and I had to sit up straight a few times. Amazing story. I would give this more stars if I could ✨️

The Dinner Party by Rebecca Heath is another dark and twisty domestic thriller.
There's a sense of danger, the setting seems to be the perfect background.
A solid and tightly knitted plot that flows and a cast of fleshed out characters.
I was on the edge till the end and the twists always surprised me.
The story is well written and executed perfectly.
I was intrigued from the beginning and was taken for a fun ride.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This was such a good book. Once i started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. It had mixed media incorporated into the book and that just made the experience 10x better. This isn’t like your usual mystery missing child story, it feels more like a true crime podcast and it was everything i didnt know I needed.

This was such an edge of your seat story! Great premise. Interesting how you think you have it figured out but are then served a big twist.

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.

Set in a December heatwave in Australia, The Dinner Party is a thriller that will keep you guessing.
A baby goes missing during a dinner party 1979 and her sister Amanda still hopes to find out what happened. Someone turns up on their doorstep claiming to be Megan but amanda's daughter is suspicious.

A rich cast of characters adds to the sense of tension and confusion and the plots unfolds at a suspenseful pace. A great read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for the chance to read this book.

This book is such a gripping page turner! All of the story elements work together, and the secondary characters and their personal dramas enhance the book. There is a lot going on throughout the book, but it moves at a great pace without feeling rushed. Rebecca Heath seems to have a definite knack for writing a great domestic thriller!