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DC Morgan #1
Dernière fête
At midnight, one of them is dead.
By morning, all of them are suspects.
It's a party to end all parties, but not everyone is here to celebrate.
On New Year’s Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests. His vacation homes on Mirror Lake are a success, and he’s generously invited the village to drink champagne with their wealthy new neighbors.
But by midnight, Rhys will be floating dead in the freezing waters of the lake.
On New Year’s Day, Ffion Morgan has a village full of suspects. The tiny community is her home, so the suspects are her neighbors, friends and family—and Ffion has her own secrets to protect.
With a lie uncovered at every turn, soon the question isn’t who wanted Rhys dead…but who finally killed him.
In a village with this many secrets, murder is just the beginning.
By morning, all of them are suspects.
It's a party to end all parties, but not everyone is here to celebrate.
On New Year’s Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests. His vacation homes on Mirror Lake are a success, and he’s generously invited the village to drink champagne with their wealthy new neighbors.
But by midnight, Rhys will be floating dead in the freezing waters of the lake.
On New Year’s Day, Ffion Morgan has a village full of suspects. The tiny community is her home, so the suspects are her neighbors, friends and family—and Ffion has her own secrets to protect.
With a lie uncovered at every turn, soon the question isn’t who wanted Rhys dead…but who finally killed him.
In a village with this many secrets, murder is just the beginning.
576 pages
First published August 4, 2022
3796 people are currently reading
88815 people want to read
About the author
Clare Mackintosh
30 books11.7k followersWelcome to my Goodreads profile! Whether you're new to my work, or a hard-core fan, it's lovely to see you here. My latest book is OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES, the third book in my DC Ffion Morgan series. Like THE LAST PARTY and A GAME OF LIES, this is designed to be read as a standalone, but if you've followed Ffion and Leo from the beginning, I think you'll love seeing where OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES takes them.
If this is the first time we're meeting, welcome! In addition to the books above, I'm the author of I LET YOU GO, I SEE YOU, LET ME LIE and HOSTAGE - page-turning thrillers that have sold more than three million copies across 40 countries, and hit bestseller lists including The Sunday Times and The New York Times. I also wrote the emotional rollercoaster, AFTER THE END: a family drama about an impossible choice that threatens to tear a couple apart. It's the most personal novel I've written, and I've loved hearing from readers who have connected with it. In 2024 I released a memoir, I PROMISE IT WON'T ALWAYS HURT LIKE THIS, based on my experiences of navigating grief following the loss of my son eighteen years ago. It's a book to offer hope when you feel as though there's none to be had; a book to give to a friend when you don't know what to say.
Coming in 2026 is what I'm boldly going to tell you is my best book yet... a standalone thriller with a twist that'll knock your socks off! It's called IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, and I would love you to add it to your shelf right now!
I love connecting with my readers, and there are plenty of ways you can get a sneak peek at what's going on behind the scenes. My Facebook group offers reading recommendations and exclusive extras to members (just search online for 'The Clare Mackintosh Book Club'), or if it's general chit chat you're after, please do follow me on Instagram, where I go to avoid writing, and to share snippets of my life in rural Wales, complete with three spaniels and Pete the goat. I'm also on TikTok, much to the dismay of my three teenagers...
* * *
With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. She has since written seven more bestselling novels. Together, her books have been translated into 40 languages and spent more than sixty-five weeks in The Sunday Times bestseller lists.
Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies.
* * *
For more information find Clare on Facebook, Instagram, Threads or TikTok at @ClareMackWrites
#ILetYouGo #ISeeYou #LetMeLie #AftertheEnd #HostageBook #TheLastParty #AGameOfLies #IPromise #OtherPeoplesHouses #ItsNotWhatYouThink
If this is the first time we're meeting, welcome! In addition to the books above, I'm the author of I LET YOU GO, I SEE YOU, LET ME LIE and HOSTAGE - page-turning thrillers that have sold more than three million copies across 40 countries, and hit bestseller lists including The Sunday Times and The New York Times. I also wrote the emotional rollercoaster, AFTER THE END: a family drama about an impossible choice that threatens to tear a couple apart. It's the most personal novel I've written, and I've loved hearing from readers who have connected with it. In 2024 I released a memoir, I PROMISE IT WON'T ALWAYS HURT LIKE THIS, based on my experiences of navigating grief following the loss of my son eighteen years ago. It's a book to offer hope when you feel as though there's none to be had; a book to give to a friend when you don't know what to say.
Coming in 2026 is what I'm boldly going to tell you is my best book yet... a standalone thriller with a twist that'll knock your socks off! It's called IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, and I would love you to add it to your shelf right now!
I love connecting with my readers, and there are plenty of ways you can get a sneak peek at what's going on behind the scenes. My Facebook group offers reading recommendations and exclusive extras to members (just search online for 'The Clare Mackintosh Book Club'), or if it's general chit chat you're after, please do follow me on Instagram, where I go to avoid writing, and to share snippets of my life in rural Wales, complete with three spaniels and Pete the goat. I'm also on TikTok, much to the dismay of my three teenagers...
* * *
With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. She has since written seven more bestselling novels. Together, her books have been translated into 40 languages and spent more than sixty-five weeks in The Sunday Times bestseller lists.
Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies.
* * *
For more information find Clare on Facebook, Instagram, Threads or TikTok at @ClareMackWrites
#ILetYouGo #ISeeYou #LetMeLie #AftertheEnd #HostageBook #TheLastParty #AGameOfLies #IPromise #OtherPeoplesHouses #ItsNotWhatYouThink
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,881 reviews
September 13, 2025
This is a mind-spinning, complex, and deeply layered small-town murder mystery!
I’m a big fan of the author. Normally, if any other writer created a slow-burn mystery with a large cast of characters, I’d have second thoughts about continuing the story and might even switch to another book.
But the rich character development, the forced collaboration between Wales and England detectives, the detailed descriptions of the setting, the sharp dialogue, and the intricate plot featuring multiple suspects with dark secrets (including the main character) kept me fully engaged. The brilliantly structured backstory of the victim—a man who ruined many lives, including his own family’s—was another standout element.
The mystery’s haunting atmosphere, reminiscent of Broadchurch, draws you deeper into the tightly-knit community, making the story even more compelling.
Plot summary: On New Year’s Eve, a wealthy and popular singer, Rhys Lloyd, is found dead, floating in the freezing waters of the lake—a gruesome discovery made by locals during their traditional New Year’s swim.
Rhys had thrown a big party that night, with many attendees, making them both witnesses and potential suspects. Rhys wasn’t a good man—he’d damaged many lives, including those of his own family.
The lake where his body is found straddles the border between England and Wales, which leads to two detectives from different jurisdictions being assigned to the case. Unfortunately, Detective Leo Brady from Cheshire Major Crime and Detective Constable Ffion Morgan from North Wales CID had a one-night stand on New Year’s Eve. Neither planned on seeing the other again, but now they must work together and pretend that what happened on New Year’s Eve stays in the past, focusing solely on solving the case.
However, Ffion is under extra pressure. Even if she wanted to, she can’t walk away from the investigation—she’s hiding a big secret and protecting someone. But who? And why? Will Leo discover her hidden agenda?
Overall: This isn’t my all-time favorite work by this author, but the writing is excellent. While the length and the large number of characters were a bit exhausting to keep track of, I still enjoyed getting lost in this smart and challenging murder mystery. The ending was both heartbreaking and moving!
I’m rounding my 3.5 stars up to 5 “I need to learn Welsh” stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I’m a big fan of the author. Normally, if any other writer created a slow-burn mystery with a large cast of characters, I’d have second thoughts about continuing the story and might even switch to another book.
But the rich character development, the forced collaboration between Wales and England detectives, the detailed descriptions of the setting, the sharp dialogue, and the intricate plot featuring multiple suspects with dark secrets (including the main character) kept me fully engaged. The brilliantly structured backstory of the victim—a man who ruined many lives, including his own family’s—was another standout element.
The mystery’s haunting atmosphere, reminiscent of Broadchurch, draws you deeper into the tightly-knit community, making the story even more compelling.
Plot summary: On New Year’s Eve, a wealthy and popular singer, Rhys Lloyd, is found dead, floating in the freezing waters of the lake—a gruesome discovery made by locals during their traditional New Year’s swim.
Rhys had thrown a big party that night, with many attendees, making them both witnesses and potential suspects. Rhys wasn’t a good man—he’d damaged many lives, including those of his own family.
The lake where his body is found straddles the border between England and Wales, which leads to two detectives from different jurisdictions being assigned to the case. Unfortunately, Detective Leo Brady from Cheshire Major Crime and Detective Constable Ffion Morgan from North Wales CID had a one-night stand on New Year’s Eve. Neither planned on seeing the other again, but now they must work together and pretend that what happened on New Year’s Eve stays in the past, focusing solely on solving the case.
However, Ffion is under extra pressure. Even if she wanted to, she can’t walk away from the investigation—she’s hiding a big secret and protecting someone. But who? And why? Will Leo discover her hidden agenda?
Overall: This isn’t my all-time favorite work by this author, but the writing is excellent. While the length and the large number of characters were a bit exhausting to keep track of, I still enjoyed getting lost in this smart and challenging murder mystery. The ending was both heartbreaking and moving!
I’m rounding my 3.5 stars up to 5 “I need to learn Welsh” stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
October 2, 2022
A Solid Start
3.65 stars
“Is anyone at The Shore who they appear to be?”
The Last Party is a procedural mystery about the murder of a hateful man at a New Year's Eve Party. The suspect list is long ….and the number of secrets surrounding the murder is even longer.
The plot centers on solving the murder of local celebrity Rhys Lloyd at his vacation home in a small town in Wales. His family, neighbors, and locals are all suspects, and the team investigating his death, DCI Ffion Morgan and Leo Brady, have their own secrets to hide.
The action takes place in a small town in Wales with a lake at the center that divides the rich from the poor, locals from the tourists.
Ffion’s character and the atmospheric setting were what I liked best about this book. Ffion’s banter with her partner, Leo, and learning more about those who inhabit the town and their wealthy neighbors kept me invested.Ffion's voice is most prominent, followed by Leon's. They are new to being partners and share a very interesting connection.
On the other hand, there are too many characters, and the timeline is nonlinear. I had trouble keeping track of who was who and when the events were taking place.
I was in solid like with this book until about the 60% mark, and then I was finally immersed.
The mystery isn’t hard to solve, and the twists are intriguing but slightly obvious. Ffion and Leo’s characters and the setting add a layer of depth to this novel. This was a solid start to the series, and I look forward to seeing Ffion, and hopefully Leo, again in the next book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.
3.65 stars
“Is anyone at The Shore who they appear to be?”
The Last Party is a procedural mystery about the murder of a hateful man at a New Year's Eve Party. The suspect list is long ….and the number of secrets surrounding the murder is even longer.
The plot centers on solving the murder of local celebrity Rhys Lloyd at his vacation home in a small town in Wales. His family, neighbors, and locals are all suspects, and the team investigating his death, DCI Ffion Morgan and Leo Brady, have their own secrets to hide.
The action takes place in a small town in Wales with a lake at the center that divides the rich from the poor, locals from the tourists.
Ffion’s character and the atmospheric setting were what I liked best about this book. Ffion’s banter with her partner, Leo, and learning more about those who inhabit the town and their wealthy neighbors kept me invested.Ffion's voice is most prominent, followed by Leon's. They are new to being partners and share a very interesting connection.
On the other hand, there are too many characters, and the timeline is nonlinear. I had trouble keeping track of who was who and when the events were taking place.
I was in solid like with this book until about the 60% mark, and then I was finally immersed.
The mystery isn’t hard to solve, and the twists are intriguing but slightly obvious. Ffion and Leo’s characters and the setting add a layer of depth to this novel. This was a solid start to the series, and I look forward to seeing Ffion, and hopefully Leo, again in the next book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2022
4.0 stars— I saw that Clare Mackintosh released a new novel and based on how much I liked “The Hostage”, I decided to read “The Last Party”. “The Last Party” was different from other Mackintosh books that I’ve read in that it was set partially in Wales and a lot of the expressions and settings were confusing to someone from the southern United States. With that in mind, I really enjoyed this book (even if I didn’t always understand everything completely). The book was a very well put together murder mystery that was interesting from start to finish. The book was primarily told from the perspectives of the two investigators (one from Wales and one from England) who based on jurisdictional issues involving the location of the crime, are required to work together. The author appears to go out of her way to make the murder victim the most despicable person ever to live in order to insure that every character in the book is a suspect in his murder. This made it impossible for me to even fathom a guess as to who the killer was. The resolution to the story was enjoyable with multiple endings that all seemed to come together very well. Although the book had no standout, mind boggling moments, it was still a satisfying book that held my interest throughout that I would recommend to Agatha Christie book lovers.
March 4, 2024
The icy waters of Mirror Lake (Llyn Drych) separate the English shores from the Welsh village of Cwm Coed. And, the residents of each side of the lake couldn’t be more different.
The locals on the Welsh side, celebrate New Year’s Eve by plunging into the “always cold” waters of the lake. Their new, affluent English neighbors will have a party with champagne and canapés.
But, it will be the last party, for local celebrity Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer who grew up on the Welsh side, but now lives on the English side, in the fancy new development called “The Shores” which he helped to develop along with his business partner, Jonty Charlton.
Who would want him dead?
Well, apparently everyone.
And, for good reason.
And, there are A LOT of characters so that means there are A LOT of suspects.
DC Ffion Morgan from the Welsh side will need to partner with DC Leo Brady, from the English side to sort out who ACTUALLY killed Rhys-as initially the jurisdiction is as murky as the lake.
But, fortunately the two have chemistry, which will serve them well in the future since apparently this is the start of a series.
And, I liked both of them as well.
They are characters that I enjoyed spending time with.
You never know what kind of book you will get from the talented Claire Mackintosh!
She has penned what was a 5 star psychological thriller for me-“I Let You Go”, thought provoking fiction that dealt with a couple’s difficult medical decision for their child with the 5 star “After the End”, and another winner with last year’s high adrenaline hijacking thriller, “Hostage”.
This book almost read like Nordic Noir or Scandi Noir to me. Though not set in Scandinavia or a Nordic country, it is crime fiction told mostly from the Police POV, with a small village, and an icy lake which is at the center of it all and yet it seems to separate everyone and everything.
Told in two parts, this was definitely a SLOW burn, which maybe read slower because the Welsh names and settings were so unfamiliar to me that it required concentration and some flipping back and forth to keep the many characters and their connections straight in part one.
There was also some repetition in part two as we revisit the same scenes from the party that we read about earlier, now seen through a second or third character’s perspective.
At 432 pages, I did enjoy the story for the most part, but became a bit restless toward the end-and found myself wishing the editing had been tighter and some of the redundancy eliminated so we could reach the resolution quicker.
3.5 rounded up!
A buddy read with DeAnn and NZLisaM-be sure to check out their amazing reviews for additional thoughts!
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank you for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for a candid review!
June 30, 2023
***NOW AVAILABLE***
I love Claire Macintosh and The Hostage was a 4* read for me. For me The Last Party had what I felt a 4* plot with a 3* rating for several reasons!!!
** The pace was SO SLOW!!!!! Factor in the changes from present to past, a huge cast of characters and it just took a long time to get through.
** There is a lot of build up to the actual finality of finding the person who REALLY KILLED RHYS and do we really CARE???
** Can this small town really have that many people with intense secrets?? This many terrible men (again with the man-blaming)??
This is a drama/mystery set among a cluster of lodges built on the shore of a lake that divides Wales and England. The townspeople are not very happy to have these English with their wealth buy up some prime real estate on this lake they feel is their own.
The cast of characters is very large, which includes the inhabitants of the lodges and their families, the townspeople, the Detective from Wales and the Detective from England and their teams with even more ancillary characters!
This is the first in what is to be a series of books about these detectives. This may explain why the area is so extensively described which I LOVED!!
It then makes sense to have this many characters, some of whom may be in further books.
All in all this was still a good read, just not a GREAT book for me.
I do appreciate Ms. Macintosh’s passion for this area where she now lives, It shines through this narrative and was my favorite part of this novel – the setting was enchanting!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel.
I love Claire Macintosh and The Hostage was a 4* read for me. For me The Last Party had what I felt a 4* plot with a 3* rating for several reasons!!!
** The pace was SO SLOW!!!!! Factor in the changes from present to past, a huge cast of characters and it just took a long time to get through.
** There is a lot of build up to the actual finality of finding the person who REALLY KILLED RHYS and do we really CARE???
** Can this small town really have that many people with intense secrets?? This many terrible men (again with the man-blaming)??
This is a drama/mystery set among a cluster of lodges built on the shore of a lake that divides Wales and England. The townspeople are not very happy to have these English with their wealth buy up some prime real estate on this lake they feel is their own.
The cast of characters is very large, which includes the inhabitants of the lodges and their families, the townspeople, the Detective from Wales and the Detective from England and their teams with even more ancillary characters!
This is the first in what is to be a series of books about these detectives. This may explain why the area is so extensively described which I LOVED!!
It then makes sense to have this many characters, some of whom may be in further books.
All in all this was still a good read, just not a GREAT book for me.
I do appreciate Ms. Macintosh’s passion for this area where she now lives, It shines through this narrative and was my favorite part of this novel – the setting was enchanting!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel.
June 27, 2022
Clare Mackintosh writes a psychological thriller set in the atmospheric location of Llyn Drych, or Mirror Lake, nestled beside the village of Cwm Coed under the shadow of Pen y Ddraig mountain, on the border between Wales and England. On the morning after a New Year's Eve party to end all parties, floating on the lake is the body of a dead man, the victim a local celebrity and a once famous opera singer, Rhys Lloyd, now the developer of The Shore with his business partner Jonty Charlton, with its exclusive lake lodges for wealthy outsiders. Investigating for the North Wales Police is 30 year old local DC Ffion Morgan, who grew up known as Ffion Wyllt (Wild), now living with her mam and younger sister, Seren, after the breakdown of her marriage. A woman with her own secrets, she works with DC Leo Brady of Cheshire Major Crimes from the English side, bullied by his boss, DI Simon Crouch.
The storyline shifts from the past and the present, and told through the perspectives from a large cast of disparate characters, locals and The Shore residents, with all their historic tensions and conflicts. On the surface, it seems that Lloyd is a much loved man, but appearances can be deceptive, and it soon begins to emerge that he is hated by virtually all, he is a nasty piece of work, leading to a complicated case where almost everyone has a motive for murder, with Lloyd's wife, Yasmin, and business partner, Jonty, set to gain from his death. The Shore people include ex-boxer, now soap actor Bobby Stafford and his influencer wife, Ashleigh, retiree Dee Huxley, and Clemmie Northcote and her son, Caleb, who have escaped their troubled London council estate lives. Ffion and Leo are confronted with a village full of suspects and a web of intrigue as they uncover more secrets, lies, deceptions than you could possibly imagine.
Mackintosh provides a mass of red herrings and twist after twist in this engaging psychological thriller amidst the background of a great North Wales location that is a central character in its own right, and a fascinating protagonist in Ffion Morgan, a woman with a emotionally traumatic past, a stubborn and determined police officer. Her relationship with Leo develops into a strong and supportive partnership after their rather awkward beginnings, with the tantalising potential to be so much more. This is a wonderfully entertaining crime read that will appeal to the many fans of the author and those who love the most twisted of psychological thrillers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
The storyline shifts from the past and the present, and told through the perspectives from a large cast of disparate characters, locals and The Shore residents, with all their historic tensions and conflicts. On the surface, it seems that Lloyd is a much loved man, but appearances can be deceptive, and it soon begins to emerge that he is hated by virtually all, he is a nasty piece of work, leading to a complicated case where almost everyone has a motive for murder, with Lloyd's wife, Yasmin, and business partner, Jonty, set to gain from his death. The Shore people include ex-boxer, now soap actor Bobby Stafford and his influencer wife, Ashleigh, retiree Dee Huxley, and Clemmie Northcote and her son, Caleb, who have escaped their troubled London council estate lives. Ffion and Leo are confronted with a village full of suspects and a web of intrigue as they uncover more secrets, lies, deceptions than you could possibly imagine.
Mackintosh provides a mass of red herrings and twist after twist in this engaging psychological thriller amidst the background of a great North Wales location that is a central character in its own right, and a fascinating protagonist in Ffion Morgan, a woman with a emotionally traumatic past, a stubborn and determined police officer. Her relationship with Leo develops into a strong and supportive partnership after their rather awkward beginnings, with the tantalising potential to be so much more. This is a wonderfully entertaining crime read that will appeal to the many fans of the author and those who love the most twisted of psychological thrillers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
July 25, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
On New Year's Day, the remote Welsh village of Cwm Coed has an annual tradition of taking a community swim in the pristine waters of Llyn Drych, or Mirror Lake.
A bit of a polar plunge, if you will. It makes sense as the lake is so much a part of life for the village.
It gets the blood flowing, the community spirit popping and overall, is a solid way to start the first day of a new year.
When a dead body is found floating in the lake in the early moments of this tradition however, it's clear, this will be a very memorable year indeed.
On the opposite side of the lake, a new, luxury living community, The Shores, has been built. The instigator of this travesty, according to the locals, is Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer, who also happens to be a local boy himself. In fact, he inherited the land from his father.
The previous evening, on New Year's Eve, Rhys, along with the other owners at The Shores had thrown a lavish party, to which all were invited. It appears this body may have floated over from that side, but is he, or she the victim of foul play, or just a terrible accident?
When it's discovered the body is actually Rhys himself, this draws attention from both sides of the lake. Jurisdiction could get tricky, so a partnership is proposed.
DC Ffion Morgan, from Cwn Coed, will team up with a DC from the English-side of the lake, Leo Brady. A match made in heaven, IMO. The snark and chemistry between these two characters gripped me from the very start, which made for a super fun investigatory aspect.
This story is told through the use of many different perspectives, both from The Shores and from the village. It's clear the stars are Ffion and Leo, but in order to get the full scope of this mystery, additional insights were required.
The residents of The Shores were all terrible people. It was captivating getting to know them and all of their various dramas. If you're a fan of the 'rich people behaving badly' set-up, you will most likely end up enjoying this one as well.
We also learn a bit about both Ffion and Leo's personal lives. I liked that. It helped to build them out and I felt like by the end, I was quite attached to the two of them. They were both sympathetic characters, who it was easy to root for.
The mystery of this was very well plotted. There were some huge reveals and twists. One in particular had my literal jaw drop to the floor. I was gobsmacked. I did not see it coming.
Overall, I would say this was fabulously fun, packed with unlikable characters, twists and OMG-moments. I had a blast trying to figure out whodunit. With a victim as despicable as Rhys, it could have been anyone!
I loved Ffion so much. She definitely stole my heart. She's such a complex, yet likable character. I am really looking forward to more books in this series.
Of course, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the rumors are true and this actually is this first book in a series. I would definitely be down for going on more investigations with Ffion and Leo.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I've enjoyed Mackintosh books before, but this one is definitely a new fave!
On New Year's Day, the remote Welsh village of Cwm Coed has an annual tradition of taking a community swim in the pristine waters of Llyn Drych, or Mirror Lake.
A bit of a polar plunge, if you will. It makes sense as the lake is so much a part of life for the village.
It gets the blood flowing, the community spirit popping and overall, is a solid way to start the first day of a new year.
When a dead body is found floating in the lake in the early moments of this tradition however, it's clear, this will be a very memorable year indeed.
On the opposite side of the lake, a new, luxury living community, The Shores, has been built. The instigator of this travesty, according to the locals, is Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer, who also happens to be a local boy himself. In fact, he inherited the land from his father.
The previous evening, on New Year's Eve, Rhys, along with the other owners at The Shores had thrown a lavish party, to which all were invited. It appears this body may have floated over from that side, but is he, or she the victim of foul play, or just a terrible accident?
When it's discovered the body is actually Rhys himself, this draws attention from both sides of the lake. Jurisdiction could get tricky, so a partnership is proposed.
DC Ffion Morgan, from Cwn Coed, will team up with a DC from the English-side of the lake, Leo Brady. A match made in heaven, IMO. The snark and chemistry between these two characters gripped me from the very start, which made for a super fun investigatory aspect.
This story is told through the use of many different perspectives, both from The Shores and from the village. It's clear the stars are Ffion and Leo, but in order to get the full scope of this mystery, additional insights were required.
The residents of The Shores were all terrible people. It was captivating getting to know them and all of their various dramas. If you're a fan of the 'rich people behaving badly' set-up, you will most likely end up enjoying this one as well.
We also learn a bit about both Ffion and Leo's personal lives. I liked that. It helped to build them out and I felt like by the end, I was quite attached to the two of them. They were both sympathetic characters, who it was easy to root for.
The mystery of this was very well plotted. There were some huge reveals and twists. One in particular had my literal jaw drop to the floor. I was gobsmacked. I did not see it coming.
Overall, I would say this was fabulously fun, packed with unlikable characters, twists and OMG-moments. I had a blast trying to figure out whodunit. With a victim as despicable as Rhys, it could have been anyone!
I loved Ffion so much. She definitely stole my heart. She's such a complex, yet likable character. I am really looking forward to more books in this series.
Of course, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the rumors are true and this actually is this first book in a series. I would definitely be down for going on more investigations with Ffion and Leo.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I've enjoyed Mackintosh books before, but this one is definitely a new fave!
November 5, 2022
Now this was something special. Right from the beginning I was drawn into the lives of the main characters. It was a pleasant surprise to encounter humor so early in a detective novel, due to a big misunderstanding between the two detectives who end up in bed together. This made me pay extra attention to the rest of the book, I cared for them from the outset. From there on it only got better. It was lovely to really care about the story, not wanting it to end. I can’t wait to hopefully reading the sequels when they come, because I rarely find a detective novel that I love like this,
January 9, 2023
This is a small-town mystery/police procedural, with a narrative that oozed with atmosphere. The relationship between the two detectives, Ffione, from England, and Leo, from Wales, was a highlight of the book.
Who killed Rhys Lloyd on the night of his big NYE party? Rhys, a famous singer, and co-owner of a ritzy new development that lies on the English/Welsh border, was a despicable character who made a lot of enemies. Just about everyone in the small village has a motive for wanting Rhys dead.
As Ffione investigates her friends and neighbors, long buried secrets are revealed, including her own. Told from the perspective of the detectives as well the party guests, the story requires a bit of patience in the beginning. Perseverance is rewarded as the author ties it all together in an ending that was completely satisfying as well as surprising.
The underlying theme isn’t my favorite: men and the rich behaving badly. But the setting, the detectives, and the fact the author surprised me (twice!) more than made up for it.
Recommended for fans of police procedurals and British crime fiction. I can’t wait to see what Ffione (and hopefully, Leo) are up to next.
The narrator of the audiobook did an excellent job. When I switched to audio from the print version, I particularly enjoyed hearing the pronunciation of Welsh words and names (which were completely different from the voice in my head!).
A buddy read with Marilayce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
Who killed Rhys Lloyd on the night of his big NYE party? Rhys, a famous singer, and co-owner of a ritzy new development that lies on the English/Welsh border, was a despicable character who made a lot of enemies. Just about everyone in the small village has a motive for wanting Rhys dead.
As Ffione investigates her friends and neighbors, long buried secrets are revealed, including her own. Told from the perspective of the detectives as well the party guests, the story requires a bit of patience in the beginning. Perseverance is rewarded as the author ties it all together in an ending that was completely satisfying as well as surprising.
The underlying theme isn’t my favorite: men and the rich behaving badly. But the setting, the detectives, and the fact the author surprised me (twice!) more than made up for it.
Recommended for fans of police procedurals and British crime fiction. I can’t wait to see what Ffione (and hopefully, Leo) are up to next.
The narrator of the audiobook did an excellent job. When I switched to audio from the print version, I particularly enjoyed hearing the pronunciation of Welsh words and names (which were completely different from the voice in my head!).
A buddy read with Marilayce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
January 13, 2023
3.5 Mixed STARS
Very much a slooooow burn, but I wanted to finish.
I passed on this as an arc, but when I saw the audio on Libby, decided to give it a listen. Also, picked up the kindle version because I was getting a bit lost just listening. Narration helped with the Welsh names.
Mixed bag for me!
Really enjoyed the two detectives and was invested enough to finish the book. Even though I wasn't glued to it at any point. Also , enjoyed the double twisty twist at the end.
The author spends a lot of time on background stories, too drawn out and too much filler that wasn't interesting. Get to the point!
Some good twists that came in the last third really surprised me. I disliked the victim so so much that I almost didn't care who killed him!
If you like a huge cast of suspects, a bunch of potential suspects with motives (many were boring though), and lots of misdirection, you may enjoy this one. Just know it is a long, drawn out one and you need to pay attention!
Audio was 13 hours, 17 minutes
Narrated by: Chloe Angharad Davies *side note- one of the characters is also named Angharad!
Very much a slooooow burn, but I wanted to finish.
I passed on this as an arc, but when I saw the audio on Libby, decided to give it a listen. Also, picked up the kindle version because I was getting a bit lost just listening. Narration helped with the Welsh names.
Mixed bag for me!
Really enjoyed the two detectives and was invested enough to finish the book. Even though I wasn't glued to it at any point. Also , enjoyed the double twisty twist at the end.
The author spends a lot of time on background stories, too drawn out and too much filler that wasn't interesting. Get to the point!
Some good twists that came in the last third really surprised me. I disliked the victim so so much that I almost didn't care who killed him!
If you like a huge cast of suspects, a bunch of potential suspects with motives (many were boring though), and lots of misdirection, you may enjoy this one. Just know it is a long, drawn out one and you need to pay attention!
Audio was 13 hours, 17 minutes
Narrated by: Chloe Angharad Davies *side note- one of the characters is also named Angharad!
July 19, 2022
It’s New Years Day and it’s the tradition of the villagers of Cwn Coed on the Welsh/English border to plunge into the icy waters of Mirror Lake (Llyn Drych). However, this year‘s swim is aborted as a man’s body is discovered floating face down and it’s chilly blackness. Who is it? Accident or murder? It backtracks to New Year’s Eve and there’s a big party at the Shore home of Jonty and Blythe Charlton. The Shore is on the English side of the Lake. It’s a new development co-owned by Rhys Lloyd and is the cause of much resentment on the Welsh side. At the Cheshire MCU DC Leo Brady is dispatched to investigate as is DC Ffion Morgan of the North Wales police and there’s a backstory with these two which makes things lively! The identity of the victim is learned fairly quickly and to make things even more interesting, why is Ffion not exactly sorry he’s dead?
It takes me a little while to get into this slow this one but once I do we’re off and running! The location is excellent, the descriptions are wonderful and you feel as if you are there. This creates a really good atmosphere and backdrop to the ensuing drama and it also helps you to understand the rift between the local Welsh community and the wealthy English incomers, some of them it has to be said are arrogant and up themselves. This is effectively reinforced by gossip, rumours, snarky comments which builds the resentful tension. We learn there are a lot of dark secrets on both sides and a picture builds up of the victim with a good mystery surrounding the identity of the killer. There are some shocking revelations about him, the suspect pool expands, many have very good reasons to want him dead and it’s the biggest wonder he actually survives as long as he did! Along the way to the unexpected and clever reveal there are some good red herrings that send you spinning off in a different direction. Some of the reveals are surprising and quite painful.
I really like the partnership of Leo and Ffion who are fantastic characters and very well portrayed.
There are some very good injections of humour especially from Fionn and there’s good banter between them. I enjoy how she “encourages“ him to take on his odious boss who sure needs telling. Many characters are masquerading as something they are not which is also very intriguing.
However, what should I do really enjoy this there are a lot of characters to get your head around, the multiple points of view leads to some repetition and makes it a bit drawn out at times. It seems as if every man/woman and their dogs have some input but, but, you do get some very relevant snippets which don’t seem to be important so you need to stick with it and pay attention or you’ll miss some good clues !!
Overall, this is a good multilayered mystery in a great setting and I really appreciate the Welsh feel of it. I hope we read more of Ffion and Leo as they’re too good for just the one appearance.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
It takes me a little while to get into this slow this one but once I do we’re off and running! The location is excellent, the descriptions are wonderful and you feel as if you are there. This creates a really good atmosphere and backdrop to the ensuing drama and it also helps you to understand the rift between the local Welsh community and the wealthy English incomers, some of them it has to be said are arrogant and up themselves. This is effectively reinforced by gossip, rumours, snarky comments which builds the resentful tension. We learn there are a lot of dark secrets on both sides and a picture builds up of the victim with a good mystery surrounding the identity of the killer. There are some shocking revelations about him, the suspect pool expands, many have very good reasons to want him dead and it’s the biggest wonder he actually survives as long as he did! Along the way to the unexpected and clever reveal there are some good red herrings that send you spinning off in a different direction. Some of the reveals are surprising and quite painful.
I really like the partnership of Leo and Ffion who are fantastic characters and very well portrayed.
There are some very good injections of humour especially from Fionn and there’s good banter between them. I enjoy how she “encourages“ him to take on his odious boss who sure needs telling. Many characters are masquerading as something they are not which is also very intriguing.
However, what should I do really enjoy this there are a lot of characters to get your head around, the multiple points of view leads to some repetition and makes it a bit drawn out at times. It seems as if every man/woman and their dogs have some input but, but, you do get some very relevant snippets which don’t seem to be important so you need to stick with it and pay attention or you’ll miss some good clues !!
Overall, this is a good multilayered mystery in a great setting and I really appreciate the Welsh feel of it. I hope we read more of Ffion and Leo as they’re too good for just the one appearance.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
November 9, 2022
Happy New Year!🍾🥂
A popular entertainer, Rhys Lloyd vanishes from a new-years’ eve party, only to be found washed up on the shore by morning. Who would possibly want this famous showman dead? But now, as the investigation digs deeper, the larger question becomes... who wouldn’t!?
Detective Constable Leo Brady of the Cheshire major crime unit is in charge of the investigation. He’s joined by local Detective Constable Ffion Morgan, of the North Wales CID. The two are teamed-up together to uncover a killer. This isn’t exactly their first time meeting. There’s something of a brief, but heated history between the two!. #awkward! Putting their personal ‘relationship’ aside to find a killer could prove to be a delicate dance!
This book started strong but midway it felt as things somewhat stalled. Making it feel rather long.🤷♀️
I believe this may be the start to a new series and I’ll be watching for the next. Truly, I will be anxiously awaiting anything this author releases next!
3.5⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark.
A popular entertainer, Rhys Lloyd vanishes from a new-years’ eve party, only to be found washed up on the shore by morning. Who would possibly want this famous showman dead? But now, as the investigation digs deeper, the larger question becomes... who wouldn’t!?
Detective Constable Leo Brady of the Cheshire major crime unit is in charge of the investigation. He’s joined by local Detective Constable Ffion Morgan, of the North Wales CID. The two are teamed-up together to uncover a killer. This isn’t exactly their first time meeting. There’s something of a brief, but heated history between the two!. #awkward! Putting their personal ‘relationship’ aside to find a killer could prove to be a delicate dance!
This book started strong but midway it felt as things somewhat stalled. Making it feel rather long.🤷♀️
I believe this may be the start to a new series and I’ll be watching for the next. Truly, I will be anxiously awaiting anything this author releases next!
3.5⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark.
December 20, 2023
I don't know what people see in this book because it was awful.
July 30, 2023
Rhys Lloyd has built, with the help of financial partner Jonty Charlton, a luxury development of vacation homes aptly named The Shore, which hugs the stunning Mirror Lake along the English-Welsh boundary. The local village of Cym Coed, however, aren’t exactly fans of the vacation home intruders. In order to bring them on side, Jonty and his wife Blythe host a party at their lodge on New Year’s Eve for both owners and villagers alike.
On New Year’s Day, however, when the locals participate in the annual tradition of a polar bear plunge in the lake, they find Rhys’s body floating face down. Called in to investigate, local DC Ffion Morgan and city boy DC Leo Brady must learn to work together despite an inauspicious and awkward start. From two separate districts that cross country borders, they must learn to trust each other and join forces in order to solve the vicious murder. For Ffion, the local detective, this means investigating her friends, family, and neighbors. But as lies and secrets are revealed, it becomes clear that there are possible suspects galore…nearly everyone Rhys knew. Who killed him? A Welsh local or an English intruder? And why?
I’m rarely completely taken with a book to the point of wishing that I could read it again fresh, but The Last Party was that book for me. Filled with complicated relationships between both family members and neighbors, this book certainly didn’t disappoint. An addictive, slightly atypical police procedural novel, it began with an attention grabbing prologue and grew into both a hunt for the murderer and a story about two groups trying to coexist: a small Welsh village and the English vacation-home-owning interlopers across the lake.
But fear not, there was plenty of suspense to go around! Told in dual timelines (the goings on before the murder and the investigation after) as well as multiple POVs, what could easily have been confusing, wandering away from the core plot, was instead perfectly laid out and organized. Sprinkled throughout with the humor of a realistic small village filled with rumors and gossip, the setting came alive through Mackintosh’s writing. Even the characters were true to life (albeit perhaps slightly more dramatic for the benefit of the book) and I thoroughly enjoyed the deep, authentic backgrounds of both Leo and Ffion. The first book in a new crime series, I’m left on tenterhooks waiting to find out how this series continues to unfold!
Twist-filled and jam-packed with potential suspects and red herrings, even the big climax was well-written. I was thrilled to find that the story left me sufficiently in the dark so that I didn’t guess the twist, but that it was hinted at enough that it didn’t come out of nowhere…and, boy, did it explain a lot. Point blank, if you enjoy a book that makes you forget the world is continuing to spin around you, definitely pick up The Last Party. Rating of 5+++ stars.
Trigger warning: infidelity, stalking, drug and alcohol use, rape
On New Year’s Day, however, when the locals participate in the annual tradition of a polar bear plunge in the lake, they find Rhys’s body floating face down. Called in to investigate, local DC Ffion Morgan and city boy DC Leo Brady must learn to work together despite an inauspicious and awkward start. From two separate districts that cross country borders, they must learn to trust each other and join forces in order to solve the vicious murder. For Ffion, the local detective, this means investigating her friends, family, and neighbors. But as lies and secrets are revealed, it becomes clear that there are possible suspects galore…nearly everyone Rhys knew. Who killed him? A Welsh local or an English intruder? And why?
I’m rarely completely taken with a book to the point of wishing that I could read it again fresh, but The Last Party was that book for me. Filled with complicated relationships between both family members and neighbors, this book certainly didn’t disappoint. An addictive, slightly atypical police procedural novel, it began with an attention grabbing prologue and grew into both a hunt for the murderer and a story about two groups trying to coexist: a small Welsh village and the English vacation-home-owning interlopers across the lake.
But fear not, there was plenty of suspense to go around! Told in dual timelines (the goings on before the murder and the investigation after) as well as multiple POVs, what could easily have been confusing, wandering away from the core plot, was instead perfectly laid out and organized. Sprinkled throughout with the humor of a realistic small village filled with rumors and gossip, the setting came alive through Mackintosh’s writing. Even the characters were true to life (albeit perhaps slightly more dramatic for the benefit of the book) and I thoroughly enjoyed the deep, authentic backgrounds of both Leo and Ffion. The first book in a new crime series, I’m left on tenterhooks waiting to find out how this series continues to unfold!
Twist-filled and jam-packed with potential suspects and red herrings, even the big climax was well-written. I was thrilled to find that the story left me sufficiently in the dark so that I didn’t guess the twist, but that it was hinted at enough that it didn’t come out of nowhere…and, boy, did it explain a lot. Point blank, if you enjoy a book that makes you forget the world is continuing to spin around you, definitely pick up The Last Party. Rating of 5+++ stars.
Trigger warning: infidelity, stalking, drug and alcohol use, rape
November 8, 2022
Solid engaging mystery!
There are quite a number of characters to keep straight in this book, but once you do, watch out! No one is who they seem on the surface and everyone has a reason to want Rhys Lloyd dead.
Opera singer Rhys Lloyd has inherited land from his father in Wales and has joined together with a partner to build The Shores, a swanky lakeside housing development with exclusive vacation homes for wealthy English families, much to the consternation of the Welsh residents of Cwm Coed. When Rhys's body is found dead in the lake after a New Year's Eve party that included both Welsh and English residents, DC Leo Brady from the English side and DC Ffion Morgan from the Wales police join forces to try to figure out who killed Rhys and why.
This is a multi-layered story that unfolds gradually, but in a very deliberate way. We go back and forth between the past and the present, learning the reasons everyone had for wanting Rhys dead. I initially had my ideas about who I thought killed him, but as time passed I changed my mind multiple times and in the end I was surprised and satisfied about the conclusion.
I really loved the various aspects of this book, including the police procedural moments but also the chemistry between Ffion and Leo and the growth of their characters throughout their time working together.
This is a wholly satisfying mystery from Clare Mackintosh.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
There are quite a number of characters to keep straight in this book, but once you do, watch out! No one is who they seem on the surface and everyone has a reason to want Rhys Lloyd dead.
Opera singer Rhys Lloyd has inherited land from his father in Wales and has joined together with a partner to build The Shores, a swanky lakeside housing development with exclusive vacation homes for wealthy English families, much to the consternation of the Welsh residents of Cwm Coed. When Rhys's body is found dead in the lake after a New Year's Eve party that included both Welsh and English residents, DC Leo Brady from the English side and DC Ffion Morgan from the Wales police join forces to try to figure out who killed Rhys and why.
This is a multi-layered story that unfolds gradually, but in a very deliberate way. We go back and forth between the past and the present, learning the reasons everyone had for wanting Rhys dead. I initially had my ideas about who I thought killed him, but as time passed I changed my mind multiple times and in the end I was surprised and satisfied about the conclusion.
I really loved the various aspects of this book, including the police procedural moments but also the chemistry between Ffion and Leo and the growth of their characters throughout their time working together.
This is a wholly satisfying mystery from Clare Mackintosh.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
October 15, 2022
The Last Party grabbed me from the beginning (especially as I wasn't expecting that humorous beginning). I loved that the two investigators are not an immediate hit working together.
Rhys Lloyd hosts a New Year’s Eve party. A singer, a celebrity, a developer of vacation homes along Mirror Lake in his hometown. And by New Year’s Day, he’s also dead.
Told in a back and forth time frame, we see the murder investigation as well as the time before his death. We hear from not just the two investigators, but also many of the suspects (which is basically everyone). And the reader quickly learns that there are lots of secrets being kept, by all sorts of folks.
This is a well thought out plot that kept me engaged throughout; there were plenty of red herrings to throw me off. The two investigators are fully developed. Ffion, especially, totally took me in. As the story goes on, the pace picks up dramatically. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough by the end. I will admit to having no clue who the murderer was.
Make sure to read the interview with the author. And the publisher has wisely included discussion questions as this would make a very interesting book club selection.
My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of this book.
Rhys Lloyd hosts a New Year’s Eve party. A singer, a celebrity, a developer of vacation homes along Mirror Lake in his hometown. And by New Year’s Day, he’s also dead.
Told in a back and forth time frame, we see the murder investigation as well as the time before his death. We hear from not just the two investigators, but also many of the suspects (which is basically everyone). And the reader quickly learns that there are lots of secrets being kept, by all sorts of folks.
This is a well thought out plot that kept me engaged throughout; there were plenty of red herrings to throw me off. The two investigators are fully developed. Ffion, especially, totally took me in. As the story goes on, the pace picks up dramatically. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough by the end. I will admit to having no clue who the murderer was.
Make sure to read the interview with the author. And the publisher has wisely included discussion questions as this would make a very interesting book club selection.
My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of this book.
January 23, 2023
This pizza had too many toppings.....
Clare Mackintosh can usually be counted on for some solid mystery thrillers in the making. This one came so close for me, but it had more characters than kernels on a cob of corn. The story takes place on New Year's in a frigid lakefront area in Wales. Not so populated to begin with and yet we had potential perpetrators poppin' up like crazy. Let's discuss.
Nobody, and I truly mean nobody, liked Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer with a fading career. His wife and two daughters barely could tolerate him. On New Year's Eve his lakeside home was filled with revelers waiting to welcome in the New Year. It was obvious that they all attended for the food and the champagne that flowed. But one of the party goers will be silenced. Rhys, himself.
Now here comes the quandry. When Rhys' body is found floating in the icy lake, the tiny community is not sure where to place the call. It's on the borderline of Wales and England. So we have reps from both jurisdictions. And here's where Mackintosh, herself, makes the best call.
DC Ffion Morgan is from the local police. I immediately liked this character. She's human with a capital H. Ffion has moved back in with her mother and sister after a failed marriage and conducts herself with messy hair and a life to match. The Major Crimes Unit sends their officer, Leo Brady.
It seems that Ffion and Leo may well know each other more than they realized. And so begins our story as it really perks up from here on out.
The Last Party does have some terrific moments as all things unfold. But the pace is, at times, painfully slow and detailed. Mackintosh supplies the diversion tactic with the possible guilty parties in order to give more substance to the storyline. It simply bogged it down for me. All in all, it still was a good read.
My suggestion: Can't wait for #2 in this series to arrive. Next time, just send DC Ffion Morgan with a thin crust pizza with just veggies. Believe me, she, herself, is worth the wait.
Clare Mackintosh can usually be counted on for some solid mystery thrillers in the making. This one came so close for me, but it had more characters than kernels on a cob of corn. The story takes place on New Year's in a frigid lakefront area in Wales. Not so populated to begin with and yet we had potential perpetrators poppin' up like crazy. Let's discuss.
Nobody, and I truly mean nobody, liked Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer with a fading career. His wife and two daughters barely could tolerate him. On New Year's Eve his lakeside home was filled with revelers waiting to welcome in the New Year. It was obvious that they all attended for the food and the champagne that flowed. But one of the party goers will be silenced. Rhys, himself.
Now here comes the quandry. When Rhys' body is found floating in the icy lake, the tiny community is not sure where to place the call. It's on the borderline of Wales and England. So we have reps from both jurisdictions. And here's where Mackintosh, herself, makes the best call.
DC Ffion Morgan is from the local police. I immediately liked this character. She's human with a capital H. Ffion has moved back in with her mother and sister after a failed marriage and conducts herself with messy hair and a life to match. The Major Crimes Unit sends their officer, Leo Brady.
It seems that Ffion and Leo may well know each other more than they realized. And so begins our story as it really perks up from here on out.
The Last Party does have some terrific moments as all things unfold. But the pace is, at times, painfully slow and detailed. Mackintosh supplies the diversion tactic with the possible guilty parties in order to give more substance to the storyline. It simply bogged it down for me. All in all, it still was a good read.
My suggestion: Can't wait for #2 in this series to arrive. Next time, just send DC Ffion Morgan with a thin crust pizza with just veggies. Believe me, she, herself, is worth the wait.
November 9, 2022
This is how you start a series! I found this book to be gripping and I found myself making time to read this entire book in one day.
It's a party to end all parties, but not everyone is here to celebrate.
On New Year’s Eve, Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer, had a house full of celebrating guests at his vacation home in Mirror Lake. Most of the guest were there to party and have a good time, but not all had partying in mind. Rhys' body was found the next day!
DCI Ffion Morgan is called in to investigate and learns that she is teamed up with Leo Brady, a man she had a one-night stand with on NYE. This makes things both equally messy and interesting. Watching them move past this was part of the charm of this book. Both Ffion and Leo are likeable characters with their own secrets and pasts. They won me over and sold me on the book.
This was a solid police procedural with many suspects - basically everyone that the duo needs to sift through. The book goes back and forth in time as the story is told. Rhys was not the most likeable man, hence, there being many people who had reason to kill him.
I enjoyed the characters and can't wait to read more about them and their investigations in future books. I am not the biggest fans of slow starts or slow burns; I struggle with them, but I didn't mind the slow beginning.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
It's a party to end all parties, but not everyone is here to celebrate.
On New Year’s Eve, Rhys Lloyd, an opera singer, had a house full of celebrating guests at his vacation home in Mirror Lake. Most of the guest were there to party and have a good time, but not all had partying in mind. Rhys' body was found the next day!
DCI Ffion Morgan is called in to investigate and learns that she is teamed up with Leo Brady, a man she had a one-night stand with on NYE. This makes things both equally messy and interesting. Watching them move past this was part of the charm of this book. Both Ffion and Leo are likeable characters with their own secrets and pasts. They won me over and sold me on the book.
This was a solid police procedural with many suspects - basically everyone that the duo needs to sift through. The book goes back and forth in time as the story is told. Rhys was not the most likeable man, hence, there being many people who had reason to kill him.
I enjoyed the characters and can't wait to read more about them and their investigations in future books. I am not the biggest fans of slow starts or slow burns; I struggle with them, but I didn't mind the slow beginning.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
November 28, 2022
Rhys Lloyd, the dubiously “sweet” boy, with a decent enough singing voice, catapults from the tiny Welsh village of Cwm Coed straight to opera stardom. And aren’t the townspeople fortunate, for he’s back and has taken over his father’s land meeting Mirror Lake. High-end, second-home cottages to the elite have been built. Brilliantly dubbed “The Shore”, emphatically stated with over-sized letters, it is the very last thing Rhys’ father wanted for that property.
In an obvious effort to ‘break the ice’ with the locals, the fine folks of The Shore invite everyone to their side of the lake for a fabulous New Year’s Eve party. Champagne flows, canapes are passed, people dance. In the dawn of the New Year, among the debris, a body is found.
A natural inclination is to assume that everyone knows each other, and the contents of their closets, in a small-town. Villagers included in this presumption. But when one of their own has obviously been murdered, secrets do spill.
Ffion, born, raised and inexplicably still here as a Detective Constable, is certainly too close to the case, but her position is no different from anyone else’s.
Leo, in England, is always a bit wary about partnering up with the Welsh Criminal Investigation Department. But The Shore is on his side of the lake, and so it goes.
To say that Fifi and Leo make an incompatible crime-solving team is…generous. The undercurrents alone create a tense environment. Fifi is a terrible liar, yet she refuses to be honest with Leo, quite literally hindering their investigation.
Once again, Ms. Mackintosh has willed words into the quintessential, suspense-filled, mystery. Why settle for a plot twist, or three, when you can add surprising connections within the captivating characters? Pulled in from the first page, I read/crime-solved in record rates, my mind leaping from suspect to suspect as quickly as my fingers could turn the pages of The Last Party. This is not YA, but it will surprise no one when I say: I cannot wait to share this marvel of a mystery with “my” students.
Huge “Thank You!” to Goodreads and Sourcebooks for the ARC I received through Goodreads Giveaway!
In an obvious effort to ‘break the ice’ with the locals, the fine folks of The Shore invite everyone to their side of the lake for a fabulous New Year’s Eve party. Champagne flows, canapes are passed, people dance. In the dawn of the New Year, among the debris, a body is found.
A natural inclination is to assume that everyone knows each other, and the contents of their closets, in a small-town. Villagers included in this presumption. But when one of their own has obviously been murdered, secrets do spill.
Ffion, born, raised and inexplicably still here as a Detective Constable, is certainly too close to the case, but her position is no different from anyone else’s.
Leo, in England, is always a bit wary about partnering up with the Welsh Criminal Investigation Department. But The Shore is on his side of the lake, and so it goes.
To say that Fifi and Leo make an incompatible crime-solving team is…generous. The undercurrents alone create a tense environment. Fifi is a terrible liar, yet she refuses to be honest with Leo, quite literally hindering their investigation.
Once again, Ms. Mackintosh has willed words into the quintessential, suspense-filled, mystery. Why settle for a plot twist, or three, when you can add surprising connections within the captivating characters? Pulled in from the first page, I read/crime-solved in record rates, my mind leaping from suspect to suspect as quickly as my fingers could turn the pages of The Last Party. This is not YA, but it will surprise no one when I say: I cannot wait to share this marvel of a mystery with “my” students.
Huge “Thank You!” to Goodreads and Sourcebooks for the ARC I received through Goodreads Giveaway!
October 29, 2025
4⭐
Series ~ DC Morgan #1
Publication date ~ November 8, 2022
Page Count ~ 496
Audio length ~ 13 hours and 17 minutes
Narrator ~ Chloe Angharad Davies
POV ~ multiple 3rd person
Featuring ~ dual timeline, crime, murder, police procedural, r@pe
Ffion is our main detective on the murder case of, Rhys. I really liked her character and her and Leo's top notch investigative skills.
We have many, many POV's from the party guests that really made the story flow along nicely, but increases the suspect pool. This was fast paced with some nice twists that'll keep you on your toes until the end.
I was able to listen to the audio, too, so I went back and forth between the two.
Narration notes:
She did a mostly fine job, except for her male voices, which isn't a shocker.
*Thanks to the author, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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Series ~ DC Morgan #1
Publication date ~ November 8, 2022
Page Count ~ 496
Audio length ~ 13 hours and 17 minutes
Narrator ~ Chloe Angharad Davies
POV ~ multiple 3rd person
Featuring ~ dual timeline, crime, murder, police procedural, r@pe
Ffion is our main detective on the murder case of, Rhys. I really liked her character and her and Leo's top notch investigative skills.
We have many, many POV's from the party guests that really made the story flow along nicely, but increases the suspect pool. This was fast paced with some nice twists that'll keep you on your toes until the end.
I was able to listen to the audio, too, so I went back and forth between the two.
Narration notes:
She did a mostly fine job, except for her male voices, which isn't a shocker.
*Thanks to the author, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
October 16, 2022
This psychological thriller will not disappoint, not only because Claire Mackintosh wrote it, but the characters are interesting and unique. The setting is the lakes and mountains of North Wales in a fictional Cwm Coed with vacation homes dotting the grounds known as The Shore. The locals are not impressed and the scene heats up against the developer, Rhys Lloyd.
The scene opens with Rhys confronting his own death and circumstance. The story sprouts with the past building frenemies along the way. An eye opening scene is when the local investigator, Ffion Morgan, investigates his death and has access to the security cameras and erases some of it. You know there is some type of connection between all the characters and they all appear as suspects.
Claire’s style is one of my favorites even though the first 50% is setting the scene for a long list of suspects. At one point I thought about giving it a rest but had read the reviews and knew to keeping plowing because the TWIST is worth it!
It represents the rich and famous, as well as the locals trying to figure them out. The landscape is luxurious and inviting like the New Year’s Eve party that will end it all!
Thank you NetGalley and Sources Landmark for this incredible ARC for my honest review!
The scene opens with Rhys confronting his own death and circumstance. The story sprouts with the past building frenemies along the way. An eye opening scene is when the local investigator, Ffion Morgan, investigates his death and has access to the security cameras and erases some of it. You know there is some type of connection between all the characters and they all appear as suspects.
Claire’s style is one of my favorites even though the first 50% is setting the scene for a long list of suspects. At one point I thought about giving it a rest but had read the reviews and knew to keeping plowing because the TWIST is worth it!
It represents the rich and famous, as well as the locals trying to figure them out. The landscape is luxurious and inviting like the New Year’s Eve party that will end it all!
Thank you NetGalley and Sources Landmark for this incredible ARC for my honest review!
December 21, 2022
4.5 Stars!!
Secrets, lies and Murder!!
I read " I Let You Go " by Clare Mackintosh about six years ago and thought it was terrific. Though I haven't read all of the author's books since then, the ones I have read, I've enjoyed. After reading the description for The Last Party, I was looking forward to getting my hands on it.
I have to say I'm very glad I read this book. I thought it was a thrilling psychological suspense novel with many great complicated and flawed characters. It held my attention from beginning to end with its engaging plot and excellent twists and turns.
A gripping story about a New Year's Eve party that goes very very wrong.
And it looks like there will be another book with DC Ffion Morgan.
Sounds good to me!
September 23, 2022
Five. Five. Five. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book. I want it now. RTC.
November 10, 2022
I’m a little confused by all of the five stars reviews, because the vast majority of this book was terribly boring. The ending was good, but it took until almost the literal last page of the book to get there. And up to that point was awful detective work and lack of any actual leads. I wasn’t enamored with the BOTM picks this month, but still I thought this one would be a bit better.
September 4, 2022
After having read a few books by Clare Mackintosh in the past and having enjoyed them, I was super excited to be able to read The Last Party. Once again, Mackintosh did not disappoint!
I will admit however, that I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book. This book did start off rather slow with the introduction of far too many characters and locations. I even had to look up the pronunciation of many words that were in Welsh, and also that of our main characters name, Ffion.
With that being said, I eventually came to love this book because of our main character, Ffion Morgan. At first, I found her a bit devious and self centered. As the story progressed, and more of Ffion’s history and backstory was revealed, she is now one of my favorite characters in a book.
The Last Party also has two parts to the story. Once Part Two begins, this story really takes off and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. This is a police thriller that involves the work of Ffion Morgan and her partner, Leo Brady (another character who grew on me). Ffion and Leo have a great chemistry working together to solve the murder of the wealthy Rhys Lloyd on New Year’s Eve. Of course, there was a party that consisted of lots of suspects that kept me guessing until the very end. And even the very end gave me yet another twist I did not expect…
I highly recommend reading The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh, and I’m very happy to know that DC Ffion Morgan #2 is presently in the works! I cannot wait to read that, because this is definitely a series that is not to be missed!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced digital review copy. Publication date is: November 8, 2022.
I will admit however, that I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book. This book did start off rather slow with the introduction of far too many characters and locations. I even had to look up the pronunciation of many words that were in Welsh, and also that of our main characters name, Ffion.
With that being said, I eventually came to love this book because of our main character, Ffion Morgan. At first, I found her a bit devious and self centered. As the story progressed, and more of Ffion’s history and backstory was revealed, she is now one of my favorite characters in a book.
The Last Party also has two parts to the story. Once Part Two begins, this story really takes off and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. This is a police thriller that involves the work of Ffion Morgan and her partner, Leo Brady (another character who grew on me). Ffion and Leo have a great chemistry working together to solve the murder of the wealthy Rhys Lloyd on New Year’s Eve. Of course, there was a party that consisted of lots of suspects that kept me guessing until the very end. And even the very end gave me yet another twist I did not expect…
I highly recommend reading The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh, and I’m very happy to know that DC Ffion Morgan #2 is presently in the works! I cannot wait to read that, because this is definitely a series that is not to be missed!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced digital review copy. Publication date is: November 8, 2022.
May 16, 2023
3.6 stars
Will keep this short a man is murdered & found in a lake he was a former singer of a band he was a hateful man, there is a list of suspects as long as your arm the story is a complex well written prose a solid start to a new series for Clare Mackintosh I loved I Let You Go by this author but I liked this but didn’t love it.
I didn’t like the characters I can’t explain why? Maybe am an outlier on this one, will see what book number 2 brings.
Will keep this short a man is murdered & found in a lake he was a former singer of a band he was a hateful man, there is a list of suspects as long as your arm the story is a complex well written prose a solid start to a new series for Clare Mackintosh I loved I Let You Go by this author but I liked this but didn’t love it.
I didn’t like the characters I can’t explain why? Maybe am an outlier on this one, will see what book number 2 brings.
December 7, 2024
In the very first episode of the TV series, Grey’s Anatomy, Meredith Grey wakes up quickly next to her one-night stand and rushes off to her first day on her job as an intern at a hospital. In walks the man she has slept with, Dr. Derek Shepherd, her supervising attending. Oh how very awkward this is going to be! So why bring this up?
Have you ever experienced déjà vu as you are reading a book? That was the opening scene of this one – only the two characters weren’t doctors, they were cops. What were we as readers in for in this story? – I wondered. Endless tension? Perhaps, but there was more.
This story held some twisty turns along the way. It starts off with a murder – or was it suicide?
Eventually, we will discover the truth. And, these two cops were going to be a part of working to find this truth.
Lots of characters. Lots of reasons to suspect them. But, why should we be suspicious of one of the cops?
Oh, did I say it was a twisty tale? Yes, indeed.
Even the front of the cover said, “At midnight one of them is dead. By morning, all of them are suspects.”
Stick with it, you may enjoy this one.
Have you ever experienced déjà vu as you are reading a book? That was the opening scene of this one – only the two characters weren’t doctors, they were cops. What were we as readers in for in this story? – I wondered. Endless tension? Perhaps, but there was more.
This story held some twisty turns along the way. It starts off with a murder – or was it suicide?
Eventually, we will discover the truth. And, these two cops were going to be a part of working to find this truth.
Lots of characters. Lots of reasons to suspect them. But, why should we be suspicious of one of the cops?
Oh, did I say it was a twisty tale? Yes, indeed.
Even the front of the cover said, “At midnight one of them is dead. By morning, all of them are suspects.”
Stick with it, you may enjoy this one.
August 8, 2022
The Last Party was a book that I has been on my want to read list for so long. I do love a good police procedural, and this one had so much happening. There are a lot of characters but you will have no trouble keeping them straight. It is a big book at over 400 pages but it was one that you just had to keep reading.
Happy New Year! This small town in Wales has a tradition of a morning swim in the feeezing cold Mirror Lake on New Years morning. It was a big night for alot of the resident’s, celebrating New Years Eve at a party at the exclusive estate called The Shore. But, the swim is cut short when a body of a man washes up to shore. DC Ffion is called to the case as well as DC Leo Brady from the UK, as the town is right on the border.
As the investigation begins into who killed Rhys Lloyd, a well known singer and actor, Ffion and Leo soon discover that he was not a popular man. There is a town full of suspects. Secrets long hidden will be revealed.
It will keep you guessing until the very end. I hope we will hear more from these characters in future books.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.
Happy New Year! This small town in Wales has a tradition of a morning swim in the feeezing cold Mirror Lake on New Years morning. It was a big night for alot of the resident’s, celebrating New Years Eve at a party at the exclusive estate called The Shore. But, the swim is cut short when a body of a man washes up to shore. DC Ffion is called to the case as well as DC Leo Brady from the UK, as the town is right on the border.
As the investigation begins into who killed Rhys Lloyd, a well known singer and actor, Ffion and Leo soon discover that he was not a popular man. There is a town full of suspects. Secrets long hidden will be revealed.
It will keep you guessing until the very end. I hope we will hear more from these characters in future books.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.
November 7, 2022
Who killed Rhys Lloyd? Between the villagers of Cwm Coed (Koom Coyed) on the Wales side and the residents at The Shore on the English side, there are more suspects as the book moves along. My first and favorite read from Clare Mackintosh is I Let You Go, and there were times when this one almost met that bar for me. It is also exciting to look forward to further investigations with Leo and Ffion. The hopscotching around in time was a bit difficult to follow at times for me and I am terrible with all the Welsh pronunciation. My linear brain got hung up on that issue. So, while I really liked this one; just not a five-star read for me.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2023
PLEASE DROP YOUR FAVORITE MYSTERY / THRILLER RECS!! I NEED THEM!
The only redeeming thing about this book is that it forces you to look at the people around you and continuously ask questions.. and ask yourself what you would do if you knew your child had committed serious wrongs. Would you turn them in?
This book needed a few more rounds of editing. I didn't DNF.. but I wanted to multiple times. Choppy reveals for major plot elements, the pacing was a bit off... and too many surprise twists, in the end, made each shock-factor element less impactful.
NOTES:
- Slow long read (but I finished)
- TWs: Ped0philia, s3xual assault
The only redeeming thing about this book is that it forces you to look at the people around you and continuously ask questions.. and ask yourself what you would do if you knew your child had committed serious wrongs. Would you turn them in?
This book needed a few more rounds of editing. I didn't DNF.. but I wanted to multiple times. Choppy reveals for major plot elements, the pacing was a bit off... and too many surprise twists, in the end, made each shock-factor element less impactful.
NOTES:
- Slow long read (but I finished)
- TWs: Ped0philia, s3xual assault
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