The Party is a suspenseful young adult locked-room horror that keeps readers on edge as secrets unravel and friendships are tested. Like Natasha Preston’s other mystery novels, this book is a fast-paced, gripping story full of twists and psychological tension. The narrative follows Bessie and her friends as they gather for a secret party weekend in a remote English castle during spring break. What begins as an exciting getaway quickly turns dangerous when a storm traps them inside, and one of the friends is found dead. As the body count rises and access to the outside world is cut off, Bessie must determine whether the killer is an outsider or one of her closest friends before the killer comes for her.

The characters are complex and flawed, each holding their own dark secrets. Bessie has fractured relationships with her ex-boyfriend Fergus and others as a result of a car accident from a year earlier that landed her in intensive care and with missing memories. Throughout the story, Bessie has momentary flashbacks of the accident but can never put the pieces together to remember what unfolded or if it has anything to do with the horror they’re all now facing. Her journey to uncover the truth is both emotional and nerve-wracking, as every clue she discovers brings her closer to danger. As the story unfolds, Bessie learns each of her friends is harboring secrets, and she becomes mistrustful of everyone.

Just as a clue is revealed pointing the finger to one of her friends, another person is murdered, quickly dispelling Bessie’s theories of who the murderer is. The twists in the book are plentiful and unpredictable—even if you guess the killer before the end, a few more twists still await you! Preston truly keeps readers in high suspense right up until the very end, making for a very bingeable and entertaining read. The story has an abrupt conclusion that leaves readers with unanswered questions and a sense of incompleteness, but it seems deliberate by the author to allow readers to draw their own conclusions.

Overall, The Party is a highly addictive read for fans of YA horror and psychological thrillers. Its atmospheric, suspenseful, and fast-paced plot makes it difficult to put down, but seasoned thriller readers may find some of the twists predictable. The story’s intertwined themes of loyalties, guilt, and the consequences of keeping secrets make the story multi-layered and the ending especially thought-provoking. Narrator Hannah Van Der Westhuysen does a sensational job creating an atmospheric and suspenseful listening experience while authentically portraying each character with a unique voice and personality. If you enjoy YA thrillers, multiple murder whodunnits, and nerve-wracking narratives that keep you guessing until the very end, then The Party is a great book to add to your reading list!