Published By: Sphere
Pages: 384
Released On: 20/07/2023
They say the camera never lies.
But on this show, you can’t trust anything you see.
Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they’ve signed up for.
Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, they won’t just be eliminated – they’ll be exposed live on air. The stakes are higher than they’d ever imagined, and they’re trapped.
The disappearance of a contestant wasn’t supposed to be part of the drama. Detective Ffion Morgan has to put aside what she’s watched on screen, and find out who these people really are – knowing she can’t trust any of them.
And when a murderer strikes, Ffion knows every one of her suspects has an alibi . . . and a secret worth killing for.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Sphere for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I have never met a Clare Mackintosh book I didn’t love, and this one adds to that pile. She just has this way of writing that is so effortless. Whether it be a romantic scene or comedy, scary, thrilling, whatever it is, it just works, every single time.
Yes, it’s the sequel to The Last Party, and a continuation of Ffion’s story, but it’s a complete standalone. It does make reference to the occasional thing from book number one which is nice to see, but you won’t be at a disadvantage if you haven’t read the first. This is just as fun, funny, thrilling, fast paced, multi-layered, exhilarating and fabulous as its own entity.
Ffion and Leo are two of my favourite fictional characters. They could have been easy to write, cardboard cut-outs of police officers. But they’ve got so much depth that they just leap from the page and they work exceptionally well with, and against, each other. Whilst she hasn’t literally described them in simple terms, such as “Ffion has brown hair, is 5 foot tall, and is missing a tooth, and Leo is 6 foot with no hair” (not the case, but you get my meaning), their characteristics and mannerisms means you get a clear picture of them in your mind, and I think that must be really hard to do without going down the cardboard cut-out route.
There are a number of other characters here, primary and secondary. From junior and senior police officers, to television contestants, to directors, cameramen and producers, security guards, hosts, journalists, friends, family, lovers – you name it. Which should spell disaster, but it doesn’t She hasn’t over complicated things by bombarding you with information, but she’s equally given us enough to give us a range of suspects and red herrings without many surplus characters – some naturally have bigger parts than others but that’s fine, you can’t give everyone equal billing.
Clare is an expert at showing the reader what is happening rather than telling. She respects us and gives us credit that we can fill in any gaps. And that means, for me anyway, it’s even better to read. Yes we’re getting an entertainment piece, and enjoyable story to read, but we almost become part of it.
I’ve read many thrillers over the years and some, not naming names, can often feel a bit samey, some too overkill, too unbelievable, and some not believable enough. Clare has always managed to find that balance. It’s clearly a fictional piece, but things are identifiable, are tangible, are recognisable, so much so that you end up feeling for the characters and getting involved with the case as if you really know them. There’s enough thrill to whet your appetite, to get hold of you, and then you’re at 100mph to get to the end, desperate to find out what happens.
This story takes place with the backdrop of a reality TV show – a chocking one at that (no spoilers) – so this is definitely a book of its time. I’m not sure it would have had quite the same effect 10-15 years ago, when reality shows were still in their infancy. But now? We are inundated with them, and they all have to find their niche, something to stand out amongst the rest. And so while you may find the show in this book appalling, I felt the same, I feel it’s not completely unbelievable – and that’s very worrying. I can see it being picked up in reality and shown on telly, because people get bored, shows get stale. And they’re always after the shock value, and this definitely brings it. And I think she’s been very clever here. Readers will recognise it and identify with it, even if they’re not a reality TV fan, and I think that was a marvellous idea.
Whenever I finished a Clare Mackintosh book, I instantly want another. I feel she’s at the pinnacle of her genre and she’s only getting better, which means I’m excited for whatever she brings out next.
Books By Your Bedside 