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.
Release Date: Jan 16, 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Atria
Price: $13.99
Max and Annie Kingsley are unhappy with their hectic life in London so they move to Cornwall to start a “glamping” business. Things are looking up for the couple and their adopted son, Kip, is also doing better in this new environment. Before their grand opening, Max and Annie invite their old university friends and their families for a trial run. With the exception of the limited cell phone and internet service, their friends are impressed with how nice everything is. However, not everyone is getting along – tempers start to flare and explosive secrets could come out. It gets worse when an incident happens between the children and now a storm comes in, putting more than one person in the group in danger.
I enjoyed this destination thriller/family drama. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I like her writing style. The story is told from multiple points-of-view at a few different times throughout the weekend. Not all of the characters are likable and my opinion of a few of them keeps changing as more revelations occur. The story takes a bit to get going, but becomes very tense and suspenseful as the storm starts moving into the area. It soon becomes clear that something terrible happens, but you’re not sure what it is or who the victim is. I was able to guess a few of the plot twists, but there were still a few surprises to keep me guessing. I was entertained by this story and liked the way things wrapped up at the end. Overall it’s an enjoyable and satisfying book.
~ Christine
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