This is going to be one of those reviews where I struggle to find the words… so apologies from the start!
Set in a scarily remote part of Scotland, we’re introduced to a large group of old friends and we know from the blurb and the first few chapters, that one of them is found DEAD.
But who? And why?
I loved how long Foley decided to keep it quiet on who it was, the wait was tantalisingly good and thriving with tension. To distract the reader, we have very short chapters told from multiple perspectives that kept me from guessing the truth. These nine friends have a lot of history and it’s clear that they’re all hiding something…
And they’re not the only people with secrets, the staff chose to work in a secluded location for a reason too! Some of them are escaping their pasts… dun dun dunnnn.
This is a skilfully plotted murder mystery that delves into the complex dynamics of old friendship. Foley carefully brings out the vulnerabilities in her characters, beit their own personal ones or their feelings towards the group. My personal favourites were the depictions of Emma and Miranda; some of the specific characteristics of these two just hit the nail on the head for me – I’ve seen this kind before!
A snowstorm means they’re all trapped. Along with the killer. With a timeline that flips between present and a few days prior, it’s time to get that detective hat on and try workout ‘whodunnit’. Except with a heap load of secrets, once you think you’re on to something, it all unravels with the next twist… ahhhh!
With a very similar vibe to An Unwanted Guest, I found myself comparing the two!
- Both have clever plots
- An Unwanted Guest is slightly faster paced than The Hunting Party
- I preferred the setting in this book, it seemed unbelievably beautiful as well as deadly…
- I loved discovering the complex relationships within this story, whereas An Unwanted Guest has many of the guests as strangers (although this helped build more tension I thought)
If you liked An Unwanted Guest, I’d be shocked if you didn’t enjoy this book too (and vice versa).
The Hunting Party is out now in hardback and eBook versions, with the paperback coming out end of October from HarperCollins.
Have you read it? Let me know!
Until next time, Chloé x
Reviews by Chloé 