The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard
Published: August 30, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 301
Genre: Thriller
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Amy Sheppard is a busy mum of two boys living in Cornwall. Her obsession with making budget-friendly family dinners led her writing two cookbooks. Amy creates recipes for her followers and brands @amysheppardfood. Her debut novel is out in August 2022. A psychological thriller set in Cornwall called ‘The Beach Party.’
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?
“I feel nothing but dread.”
Katie has spent her life on the edge of excitement. She has always been alright I’m with not being in the thick of things. When her influencer best friend decided they would start a true crime podcast, Katie went along with it even though she wasn’t interested in creating a podcast. When the pair get an opportunity to investigate an unsolved cold case, Katie is shocked when Sophie announces she’s chosen a case from Katie’s hometown. Katie has reservations but, like always, goes along with the plan. As they get closer to the truth, Katie starts remembering more about that night.
Welp, the twist in this one made my jaw hit the floor. I fought. I had figured it out, and I was reading along, ready to be right. Plot. Twist. Not only was I wrong, but I also wasn’t even in the realm of close.
I loved the setting for this story. Pengully was beautifully described, and I could almost feel the sea breeze and hear the seagulls. The vividness of the scenery was brought to life in such a way that the town was a character.
I enjoyed the characters in this novel. They were all so well defined, and each had distinctive personalities. I love Katie. She was someone I could identify with in a lot of ways. Sophie was confident and bold. Tom was sturdy and kind.
Each character was presented in a way that gave you just a glimpse of who they were and just enough space to think everyone had a motive.
For a debut novel to be so well done and have such a deliciously concealed twist is fantastic. Amy Sheppard is a gifted storyteller, and she creates dynamic characters and has a beautiful ability to bring her scenery to life. I look forward to reading more of her thrillers in the future.
The twist in this one will slap you in the face. You won’t see it coming. I couldn’t put this book down. I had to know! Everything about the story was beautifully done. The pacing was perfect, the way the story was told worked so well, and the pop culture relevance was spot on.