🎧ARC Review: The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard

Genre ~ mystery ~ thriller

Release date ~ August 30, 2022

POV ~ single ~ 1st person

Page count ~ 301

Audio length ~ 9 hours 12 minutes

My rating ~3.5⭐

My review:

I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately my favorite was the audio, so that’s how I tackled most of it.

Katie and Sophie start a true crime podcast to discuss the murder of, Lacey, 5 years ago. Lacey was murdered at a beach party that Katie was at, so it makes her close to the case. As they start interviewing old friends of Lacey’s more evidence and secrets are brought to light.
I was blindsided by the murderer, I love when that happens. Yay!!

Overall, a solid debut novel. It was slow going in the beginning, but still fast paced and intriguing. I’d be interested in reading more from this author.

Side note #1~ I could have went for the blurb to hint at this really being about the podcast. I thought I was going to be at the party in real time.

Side note #2 ~ I have never once listened to a podcast, but this jumped out at me ~ when they were speaking during the podcast I found it odd that she would say her sentence then the word pause. Why say pause, instead of just pausing?

Side note #3 ~ I was cracking up when their “smells collided” 🤣

Amalia Vitale did a fine job narrating for 9 hours and 12 minutes, easy enough to listen at 2x, but a little too slow for me.

CW ~ references to off page rape

*Thanks to Bookouture, Bookouture Audio, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

⬇Purchase links⬇

We were all at the party. Which of us wanted her dead?

As the smoke from the bonfire spirals into the night sky and the cool drinks slip down our throats, none of us can take our eyes off Lacey. She dances in the dunes, her long golden hair damp from her late-night swim, her smile dazzling, her blue eyes closed.

Everyone who is close to Lacey sits by the smoky fire. Her adoring boyfriend, who holds onto her, perhaps a little too tightly. Her little sister, always in Lacey’s shadow, sifting fine soft sand through her fingers, never taking her eyes off Lacey. And me. Sad and full of rage, after an argument forced the man I love to leave the party early.

When the fire burns out, we stumble away from the beach, along the cliff path – faces burned by the wind, hearts full of secrets. But Lacey never makes it home. The next morning, her body is found in the sand dunes, a heart-shaped locket missing from around her neck.

Who would have thought our beach party could end the way it did? Close friends gathered on the last night of a long hot summer – which one of us could have killed the girl everybody loved?

An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with an ending you will NEVER see coming! Strap in for a twisty rollercoaster ride that will keep you turning pages all night long. Perfect for anyone who adored The Holiday, The Guest List or Gone Girl.

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