.jpg)
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.
ONE BODY.
Before the week is out, one of them is dead.
COUNTLESS LIES.
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…
A heart-racing psychological thriller that will hook you from the very first page, with twist after twist that will make your jaw drop. Fans of B.A. Paris, My Husband's Killer and Lucy Foley won’t be able to put this down. If you were hooked by The White Lotus or The Watcher, you'll love this.
I'm delighted to be hosting the blog tour for The Final Party today, many thanks to A.A. Chaudhuri, Hera Books and Kelly Lacey from Love Books Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
The Final Party is one of those novels which was a joy to read but so difficult to review without giving away any spoilers! It's the first book I've read by A.A. Chaudhuri but definitely won't be my last. This sultry Italian-set psychological thriller is perfect summer reading and is so gripping, I read it in a day.
Padma and Nick, Vanessa and Marcus, and Lana and Johnny travel to Italy to stay in a luxury villa in the hills above Sorrento to celebrate Ness's 40th birthday. The narrative switches throughout the book with each chapter told from the perspective of one of them. It's immediately evident that despite their long friendships, there's a toxicity to their relationships and dark secrets which constantly hang over everything. With one of the group planning to reveal their part in a terrible event which occurred back in their university days, the scene is set for a dramatic, emotional showdown. While most of the plot is set in the present day, there are some chapters which take place in the past and as their separate storylines gradually reveal what happened, the jigsaw pieces of this clever thriller slowly begin to slot into place.
Some of the characters are more likeable than others but all have their flaws and are keeping something from their friends and partners. Their different viewpoints and memories means each are intriguingly unreliable narrators and the intricate, pacy plotting is superb. Throughout the book, A.A. Chaudhuri explores how class and privilege impacts their relationships; Ness and Johnny come from particularly privileged backgrounds, at least on paper, but even though they have every financial and societal advantage, neither had a loving upbringing and suffer from the weight of expectation and parental neglect which clearly impacts almost every aspect of their lives. Meanwhile, Padma is still obviously deeply affected by the traumatic event which changed everything for her. Her vulnerability is apparent throughout but as the novel progresses, the battles faced by other characters, whether because of their own actions or for other reasons, meant I was constantly torn between sympathising and suspecting most of them.
Whether due to heartbreaking coincidences, foolish responses or despicable behaviour, the complex, compelling plot results in several jaw-dropping revelations in this terrifically twisty thriller and I was kept on tenterhooks right until the end as the terrible truth is finally disclosed. The beautifully descriptive writing brings Sorrento to life and the contrast between the stunning sun-drenched landscape and the darkness which envelops the group is striking. Atmospheric, addictive and deliciously suspenseful, The Final Party is an excellent read; I highly recommend it.
The Final Party is published by Hera Books, purchasing links can be found here.
Follow the blog tour, details are below.
.jpg)
About the Author
 |
| Photograph by Photo by Simon Ornstein of The Click Studios. |
A. A. Chaudhuri is a former City lawyer. After gaining a degree in History at University College London, she later trained as a solicitor and worked for several major London law firms before leaving law to pursue her passion for writing. She lives in Surrey with her family, and loves films, all things Italian and a good margarita!
Comments
Post a Comment