Book Review: The Search Party

Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: January 16, 2024
Author: Hannah Richell
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Page Count: 352

Blurb

A spellbinding locked-room mystery about a glamping trip gone horribly wrong when a powerful storm leaves the participants stranded and forced to confront long-held secrets and a shocking disappearance.

Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race with their twelve-year-old son to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. Eager for a dry run ahead of their opening, they invite three old university friends and their families for a long-needed reunion. But the festivities soon go awry as tensions arise between the children (and subsequently their parents), explosive secrets come to light, and a sudden storm moves in, cutting them off from help as one in the group disappears.

Moving between the police investigation, a hospital room, and the catastrophic weekend, The Search Party is a propulsive and twisty destination thriller about the tenuous bonds of friendship and the lengths parents will go to protect their children—perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley.

My Thoughts & Opinions

The Search Party turned out to be a big surprise. I wasn’t expecting much, but the novel turned out to be a page turner.

There are numerous characters, and I found it very helpful to familiarize myself with the cast of characters outlined in the front pages of the novel. That being said, the characters became fully developed, distinct, and engaging.

The story unfolds through multiple points of view over the course of a holiday weekend. It starts with a “hook” and continues with mini cliffhangers in between chapters. I got thoroughly immersed in the story as there were numerous plot twists and sub stories that revealed secrets hidden for years.

A thoroughly engaging novel, The Search Party is well worth a read. If author, Hannah Richell isn’t on your radar, she should be. The Search Party garners five outstanding stars from me.

I was invited to read a DRC from Atria Books through Edelweiss+. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.