I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about Let The Bad Times Roll by Alice Slater. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
New Orleans: Then. Alone in New Orleans, Selina is struggling to fit in. When a charismatic stranger invites her for a drink, she’s grateful for the company – but as their friendship grows, she can’t help but sense a darkness within her new friend. Who is Daniel, and what does he want from her?
London: Now. Daniel is missing. No one has seen or heard from him in weeks. Beside herself with worry, his sister Caroline hosts an intimate gathering in her beautiful North London home so those closest to Daniel can come together and compare notes.
But all isn’t quite as it seems: Caroline has invited a stranger to the table, an accomplished psychic who claims to have met Daniel four thousand miles away in New Orleans.
As evening turns to night, the dark truth of what really happened in New Orleans begins to emerge…
Publication Date: 10th July
CW: death, murder, violence, addiction, car accident, grief, toxic relationship, manipulation
My Thoughts:
Let The Bad Times Roll was fantastic, with a twisted dark sense of humour at its core and an interesting exploration of manipulation.
Slater has such a gift for voice with these tantalising narratives that pull you in. You have an immediate sense of the characters and want to discover all of their secrets. The dialogue flowed well and felt natural, even with the tension simmering underneath. Everything felt on the cusp of destruction which makes for captivating reading. All of these characters offer you glimpses of their stories, but more importantly, of their lies and the truths they want to bury. Right from the start this is not a story that will reveal itself to you easily. It is such gripping reading that builds to an almost unbearable point. You are sucked into these stories – a meta commentary on the charisma of a storyteller and the way people can be manipulated so easily. It creates this cat and mouse game between the truth and the story you’re hearing. You are constantly wrong-footed with some fantastic twists and turns. When turning the page, you do not quite know what you may encounter next. Instead, just let go and let Slater weave her web around you.
I adored the dark comedy of this book – it is done in perfect touches. It breaks the tension a little or heightens it further. It is bleak and uncompromising but still offers a wry smirk. In particular, Slater has classism and privilege firmly in her sights. This is a story of horrible people doing horrible things and yet they are cushioned against consequences by the circumstances of their birth. It is biting and angry and rings true to stories ripped straight from the headlines. All of this heightens the simmering tension until that explosive final act. It feels so atmospheric and grounded in its settings between the various timelines at play. You have the buttoned-up stiffness of British polite society contrasted firmly with the mysticism, history and culture of New Orleans where anything might be possible for a price. That clash epitomises the different characters involved too – the two separate worlds colliding in unexpected ways.
Slater stormed back for me with this sophomore novel. Let The Bad Times Roll is seething, seductive and slippery – never letting you fully trust the spell it’s trying to cast on you.
Next up, I’d like to talk about The Hideaway by Nikki Allen. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When five strangers are chosen for an all-expenses-paid stay at an exclusive retreat, they leap at the chance to rest and get away from it all amidst the lush Costa Rican rainforest.
Their famous host is nowhere to be seen when they arrive. Confused, but eager to immerse themselves in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, they head into the wilderness in search of a rejuvenating waterfall – but when calamity strikes, panic sets in and they are plunged into a battle for survival.
Lost under the dense canopies with darkness closing in, they soon realise they cannot trust the beauty of their surroundings – or each other . . .
Publication Date: 17th July
CW: death, murder, violence, cancer, medical treatments
My Thoughts:
The Hideaway was a fantastic debut – twisty and thrilling with this luxurious location turning into a nightmare.
I love a destination thriller. There’s something about a dream going horribly wrong in a stunning location that is just so enticing. It offers that escapism but then tinges it with doom. The Hideaway is an excellent example of the genre with this beautiful rainforest setting that turns into hell on earth for our five protagonists. They’ve been led there by wellness influencer Hannah for an all-expenses-paid escape. The social commentary around influencer culture is done very well, with a particular focus on the darker side of the wellness industry and disregarding professional medical advice. It is a twisting of spiritualism that has dangerous ramifications. This feeds into the central mystery well. The pacing and tension are brilliant with an oppressive timer running down and continually heightening the stakes as new obstacles cross their paths.
Allen delves into this in thought-provoking ways with each character bringing their own perspectives and guarded reasons for embarking on this retreat. I liked the performance aspect of their applications, giving us more insight into them but also adding layers to the overall story being woven. On that note, the characterisation was great with five distinctive voices. They felt real and fleshed-out with quirks and secrets. It is always fun to read a book and fall in love with characters while also knowing they could be lying through their teeth. With such a small group, the odds are stacked against you and I found myself questioning each of them throughout. It means you never have stable footing while reading but keeps you glued to the pages. I also really liked the survival aspects of this thriller without giving anything away.
The Hideaway is an impressive debut with plenty to say and a wonderful way of delivering its message.
Finally, I’d like to delve into The Serial Killer’s Party by Amy Cunningham. Thank you to Transworld for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Welcome to the party of the year.
You’ve been invited to an exclusive, luxury event in Norway, hosted by a billionaire. Your moment has finally arrived. But you’re not going for the canapes and champagne. You’re going for revenge.
You’ve spent months preparing for this moment. Because you know that beneath the host’s polished public persona, he’s a vicious killer who has murdered several innocent people, including your sister.
Then a guest dies in mysterious circumstances, and you begin to wonder… is this a trap? Why does it feel like you’re being watched? And will you ever escape?
Publication Date: 17th July
CW: death, murder, abuse, manipulation, sexual assault, drugging, classism
My Thoughts:
The Serial Killer’s Party was slick, stylish and sensational. It made for great summer reading with this toxic nightmare of obsession, privilege and abuse of power.
Cunningham ensnares you with that hooky, devastating first chapter as Amelia’s life starts to fall apart. From there, you are caught up in this glamorous and dangerous pursuit of revenge at any cost needed. Amelia is single-minded in her pursuit of the truth and vengeance. It is a fascinating headspace to be in, constantly paranoid and playing a different role depending on who she was interacting with. She is earmarked as an outsider in this world of extreme wealth but has to try and blend in to pursue her ultimate goal. It is captivating and you are rooting for her to succeed against the odds. Cunningham weaves a wonderful psychological thriller around her that is relentless. The tension constantly goes up a notch and the stakes climb even higher as new information comes to light and certain actions are played. It is a wonderful game to witness unfold. This was packed full of twists and turns with a final act that has stuck in my mind long after the final page.
Cunningham creates a wonderful tale here, told with flair and style that kept you nervously turning the pages. I enjoyed how cinematic it felt with lush descriptions of the natural beauty of the setting contrasting the excess and debauchery of these wild parties. You felt the intrusion of this on the land and the people with some interesting subplots around the workers in this web. Amelia cares deeply for those she encounters that have faced hardships and yet is willing to discard them for her goal. Sometimes, you are questioning how far she might go and what truly seperates her from the monstrosity of those she is pursuing. It is morally murky territory and adds layers to the story.
The Serial Killer’s Party is the definition of an up-all-night thriller as Cunningham leads you down the rabbit hole into this gilded cage of power and privilege. Add this book to your shelves now because it is not one to miss.
A Short Book Lover 
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