12 Books about Parties That Go Incredibly Wrong

by

Books About Parties Gone Wrong blog post image

Parties are rarely simple things in fiction. It’s a setup that never seems to go old when it comes to mysteries and thrillers.

You know the trope. Friends, families, or even colleagues gather for what is supposed to be a fun event. However, things quickly go south as dark secrets and long-held grudges slowly emerge.

Books About Parties Gone Wrong

Below are books about reunions, parties, and other social gatherings that turn deadly.

1. Shiver by Allie Reynolds

Milla thought it was going to be a cozy vacation spent at Le Rocher, catching up with old friends. But when they all arrive at the resort, they find it deserted. Worse, the cable cars have stopped and their cell phones missing. 

All they find is a set of instructions designed to bring out the truth. Someone has brought them all here to find out what happened to a friend they have long presumed dead.

2. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Jules’ and Will’s wedding is taking place on an island off the coast of Ireland. Celebrations are well on the way when a storm causes a blackout. The lights come up only to reveal a dead body.

Resentment and petty jealousies begin to simmer as everyone casts suspicion on each other. Who wanted a person dead? And are there more targets among the living?

3. A Death at the Party by Amy Stuart

Nadine Walsh’s party is going well. At least, until she finds herself standing over a dead body in her basement—all while guests chat and drink cluelessly upstairs.

But tonight, all that matters is that the party goes on without a hitch. Nadine must take control of everything and everyone while figuring out who’s dead downstairs and why are they even there.

4. Past Mortem by Ben Elton

Detective Edward Newson is stuck in the old days. Desperate for romance, he checks into a website searching for his old flames—and it turns out he’s not the only one.

As his old class congregates online, old feuds and grudges reignite. A school reunion is organized but can he handle it all as he continues to investigate a series of gruesome murders?

5.  We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

Emily and Kristen are on their annual reunion trip in the mountains of Chile. Things go wrong when a hookup results in them burying a body—an event eerily similar to their last year’s trip to Cambodia.

Returning home, Emily tries her best to bury her trauma. But soon Kristen shows up for a surprise visit. Forced to confront their shared guilt, Emily can’t help but question Kristen’s true goals.

6. They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall

Miriam Macy, along with six other strangers, are invited to the luxuries of a private island off the coast of Mexico. However, they soon learn that they were brought there for a very different purpose.

Soon, strange accidents begin occurring on the island. Miriam can only watch as they all fall down one by one.

7. What Have We Done by Alex Finlay

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico became the best of friends while surviving the abuses of Savior House. When the group home is shut down due to numerous disappearances, the three are split up. Each has gone far since then. 

And though they haven’t seen each other for decades, they now find themselves reunited for one chilling reason: someone is trying to kill them. They must plumb the depths of their shared past to figure out who and why someone wants them dead.

8. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

Ten years ago, Jessica Miller and her friends suffered a tragedy that irreparably broke their bond. Now she’s back in Duquette University, ready to flaunt her achievements to everyone.

But not everyone is living in the present. Someone still remembers the tragedy from years ago and they’re determined to make the guilty pay no matter what it takes.

9. You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa

Amaya is ecstatic to be invited to her childhood best friend’s wedding in Sri Lanka. That is, until she discovers who the groom is: her ex-boyfriend.

Now, all she can think of is how to stop the wedding. Rumors begin to spread and when her friend suddenly disappears, everything points to Amaya. It doesn’t take long, however, to find out someone else wants the wedding canceled.

10. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

For nine strangers, the Tranquillum House is their only hope for a new life. They know it’s going to be hard but none of them could have imagined what’s next.

Frances Welty, a romance novelist, is fascinated by the resort, its owner, and its guests. But as she gets to know more about them, she can’t help but feel the need to leave before it’s too late.

11. The Wedding Night by Harriet Walker

Lizzie calls off her wedding just a week before the big day and already too late for a refund. Instead, she and her friends plan on using the venue for a party.

But when they arrive, they find the wedding decorations waiting for them. And when Lizzie wakes up the next day, she finds her friends drunk from a night’s debauchery. 

Someone is tormenting Lizzie. But the more they try to find out who, the more secrets are brought to light—including a secret she’s been running from for so long.

12. Friends Like These by Kimberly McCreight

10 years after a devastating accident that nearly destroyed them, six friends come together for a weekend in the Catskills. It might be the only time they can save Keith, once their handsome leader, from spiraling further into addiction.

However, another tragedy strikes—leaving one dead and another missing. The resulting investigation slowly untangles a decade’s worth of secrets and lies to finally unearth the truth.

What are your books about parties gone wrong? Share them in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like: