Audiobook Review: The Search Party by Hannah Richell

 

The Search Party by Hannah Richell

Publication Date: January 16th 2024 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Pages: 338

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 12 mins

Narrators: Beth Eyre & Jamie Parker

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The story takes off with old friends reuniting as Annie and Max are set to open their glamping business on the coast of picturesque Cornwall. It sounded gorgeous!

There are four couples: Annie and Max with their son, Kip. Suze and Jim with their three kids, Kira and her partner, Fred, with their 5-month-old baby, and Dominic and Tanya with their three kids. It’s apparent as all arrive that there are tensions between them, and the reasons why slowly are revealed as the story goes on.

Things become even more strained the first night when a scuffle between the children leads to fights between parents and then one in the group goes missing. They embark on a frantic search all the while trying to find out what happened. As a parent I could feel their desperation! Their search is hampered by an intense storm bearing down.

The story is told in alternating POVs: Annie, Max, Jim, Kira, Dominic, Tanya, Scarlett, and Kip. The present is told as each party is being questioned by the police and in the past as they flash back to the unfolding events. It’s fun to guess correctly at some of the twists and to be surprised by others. I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping tale! The relationships were just as interesting as the mystery! I rooted for some characters and hated on others! I was pleased with how it all turned out. Although, I do think one character should’ve been a lot more apologetic!

I listened to the audio with Beth Eyre performing the female POVs and Jamie Parker performing the male. Both were excellent and enhanced my enjoyment of this riveting mystery! I listened to the story straight through in one day at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4 Stars

Book Description:

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.