The Party to End All Parties: ‘Family drama so toxic it should come with a biohazard label’: SUCCESSION meets SALTBURN in this deliciously dark and surprising thriller

by Lucy Roth

A little party never killed anybody?

On a comedown from one of their infamous parties, the dysfunctional Morland siblings find a guest has been murdered… and hide the body in their wine cellar.

In this darkly funny locked-room thriller, each sibling has secrets which could stop them inheriting the estate.

But who will survive until the afterparty?

The dysfunctional Morland siblings are throwing another of their infamous parties at their ancestral home, and this time, it’s wilder than ever. But on the hungover morning after, when their housekeeper is trying to clear-out the drunken revellers from the historic halls, she finds that one of the guests has been murdered.

The siblings face a call the police and claim their innocence, or hide the body in the wine cellar and ignore their problems. They choose badly.

Each sibling suspects the others of the murder, and an inspection looming which could secure or destroy their inheritance, tempers fray, old traumas re-surface, and new threats claw their way out of the shadows – and why is there knocking coming from the wine cellar?

This deliciously dark descent into privilege, paranoia, and the price of family loyalty is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Lisa Jewell.

Genres: Mystery

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2026

About the author

I also write as Lucy Nichol. When Sally Killed Harry is my debut thriller. I'm often told I'm far too angry, I count being blocked by Piers Morgan as an achievement, and I refuse to choose between Meghan and Kate just because they're both women. Ditto Courtney and Kat. My earlier books include The Twenty Seven Club, Parklife and No Worries if Not. I've also written previously for Sarah Millican's Standard Issue Magazine, and media titles including The I Paper, The Independent, Metro, NME and many more.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This authors previous book When Sally killed Harry was a five star read for me, so going into this one, my expectations were high.
And I'm happy to say that while I didn't like it as much as her previous book, I really liked this one too.
I got into the story right away and the plot did keep my interest throughout.
The writing was good and I found it such an easy book to read.
I loved the characters and I felt totally immersed in their world.
This is the kind of book that is definitely a popcorn book. Easy to read, entertaining, funny in parts, with no thinking required (which is just what you need sometimes).
One slight thing that I wasn't a fan of was the pacing. Not much really happens at all until at least the halfway point, but despite that the story did still hold my attention and I was never bored.
If you enjoy reading about rich people behaving badly, then I think you will love this one.

Thanks to Avon Books for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review

[Honestmamreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book I can only describe as a domestic noir on drugs. It was completely bonkers, decision making wise from the siblings involved in this story.

The Morland siblings are wealthy. And, I didn't like any of them. I don't think we are meant to like them, it's the whole idea of the story. Iggy Pop the goat was our saviour in this narrative. So, when they plan on hosting one of their infamous parties and things start going wrong, I didn't care which way it ended. Which is a good thing. As this made me enjoy the story more.

The siblings are very dysfunctional, full of secrets. Some of those secrets I wish I never found out. Let's not mention the fountain scene again. They are your typical stereotypical rich family that hates each other.

The choices they made and the ways they went about trying to right some situations were completely bonkers. It gave me B movie slasher vibes. And, for this I loved it. Just complete "what on earth" joy.

[Claire - TheBookendReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark, chaotic thriller following the Morland siblings - a wealthy, dysfunctional family who make truly questionable decisions. When a guest dies at one of their parties, they decide to hide the body… and everything spirals from there.

I didn’t like a single one of them (and I don’t think you’re meant to), but that actually made it more fun. The drama, secrets, and sibling tension keep things entertaining, even when it gets a bit ridiculous.

Some moments were… a lot, and the pacing dipped slightly, but the sheer chaos and B-movie energy made this such an enjoyable read.

Also, shoutout to Iggy Pop, the goat, the only likeable character here. 😉

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lot more graphic than I was expecting! Ha! Not a bad thing. But not one of the characters was likeable. Not even Kassie tbh. The goat was cute. I can't say I cared what happened to them but it was a satisfying ending. Took a while to get going to. But a decent read. Kept me entertained.

[Paige · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t work out if I am just not the target audience here or it was just deathly boring.

25% in nothing had happened. Feels insulting to compare to the authors it has in the description here.

I really wanted to like this one after reading the description but unfortunately not.

Thanks to Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have enjoyed from this creative author, and I recommend her work.

While it took me a minute to get into the writing style and begin to click the pieces together, once clear about the dynamics between the characters, I was off and running through the pages.

There are many different sub plots and intricacies in this storyline, and it's important to pay attention to how and when key elements are added. Kassie and her siblings are in a battle for control of the Moreland estate, and it's every "man" for themselves. Convincing their Grandmother that they are the right person to care for the property while assuring the others fail in their efforts is a dangerous game, and throwing an epic rager of a party right before she is to decide is very il-advised. Secrets that have been held (some for decades) wind through the chapters, adding twists to the already addictive storyline. When the truth comes out, it sets things in motion that cannot be undone.

I enjoyed the debauchery and outright mayhem of the guests and siblings at their party. Each of the sibling's pasts dictated how the events unfolded, and produced the end result - which I did not see coming... love that!!
I enjoyed my time in these pages and recommend this entertaining murder mystery.

I received my ARC from Netgalley, and my thoughts are my own.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically: rich people behaving badly… and then making worse decisions.

This one is a dark, messy, slightly unhinged locked-room thriller where a wild party ends with a dead guest and instead of calling the police, the siblings decide to hide the body. Bold choice. Terrible plan.

✔️ dysfunctional, privileged siblings you love to hate
✔️ secrets, paranoia, and shifting alliances
✔️ strong “this will absolutely end badly” energy
✔️ dark humor that makes the chaos even better

The Morland family is the definition of toxic wealth—everyone has something to hide, no one trusts each other, and the tension just keeps building as everything spirals. Watching them unravel? Honestly its kind of fun.

It starts a little slower, but once it gets going, it turns into a bingeable, twisty ride where you’re just waiting to see who cracks first.

Think: toxic wealth + bad choices + one very inconvenient corpse.

Verdict:
✔️ messy in the best way
✔️ entertaining + dramatic
✔️ come for the party, stay for the downfall

Thank you @avonbooksuk and @netgalley for the #gifted copy 📚✨

[Meg Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Party to End All Parties by Lucy Roth is a wildly entertaining, darkly clever thriller that leans all the way into its chaos—and makes it impossible to look away.

Set against the backdrop of one truly disastrous, over-the-top party, this story delivers everything you want from a messy, high-stakes thriller: a wealthy, dysfunctional family, a shocking death, and a series of increasingly terrible decisions that spiral in the most addictive way. Instead of doing the obvious thing, the Morland siblings choose to hide the body—setting off a chain reaction of secrets, paranoia, and shifting alliances that kept me completely hooked.

What really stood out was how creative and engaging the premise felt. The mix of dark humor, tension, and family drama creates a story that’s both gripping and oddly fun. The cast is large and full of strong personalities, and while they occasionally blur together, the overall dynamic adds to the sense of chaos and unpredictability. No one is entirely trustworthy, everyone has something to lose, and watching it all unravel is half the fun.

The pacing builds beautifully—starting with a slower, character-driven setup before picking up speed and turning into a bingeable, twist-filled ride. The atmosphere is sharp and claustrophobic, and the constant sense that everything is about to go very wrong keeps the tension high throughout.

Overall, this is a bold, addictive thriller that embraces its messy, unhinged energy in the best way. If you love stories about rich people behaving badly, dark humor, and twists that keep you guessing, this one absolutely delivers.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the e-ARC!

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Party to End All Parties is a deliciously unhinged cocktail of family dysfunction, locked‑room mystery, and dark humour. From the moment the Morland siblings wake up after one of their legendary blow‑out parties and discover a dead guest on the premises, you just know you’re in for a wonderfully messy ride.

Rather than doing the sensible thing—calling the police—they decide to stash the body in the wine cellar. And from there, everything spirals delightfully out of control.

The Morlands are a brilliantly dysfunctional bunch: privileged, chaotic, and each clutching secrets that could cost them their inheritance. The shifting suspicions, barbed sibling banter, and rising paranoia make the story hugely entertaining. The looming estate inspection adds a ticking clock that keeps the tension simmering, all while old wounds are reopened and new threats creep out of the shadows.

And the atmosphere? Perfectly done. The ancestral home feels like a character in itself—creaky, imposing, and full of places to hide both bodies and secrets. The strange noises under the floorboards add just the right amount of unsettling charm to the chaos.

Despite the murder, the tone stays wonderfully sharp and darkly funny, making it an easy, compulsively readable thriller. Think Ruth Ware meets Lucy Foley, but with an extra twist of dysfunctional family comedy.

A fun, fast, cleverly twisted read with standout characters and a great sense of mischief.

With thanks to Lucy Roth, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Hope Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Party to End All Parties is an efficient reminder that wealth does not improve personality, judgment, or crisis management.

The setup is straightforward. A family gathering, simmering resentments, and a murder that complicates the weekend plans. This should create tension. It does, briefly. Then it settles into a steady rhythm of suspicion, secrecy, and people behaving exactly as you would expect people like this to behave.

The characters are uniformly self-absorbed and emotionally underdeveloped, which may be the point, but it makes extended time with them something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Their interactions are more tiresome than tense, and their decisions inspire less dread than mild exasperation.

The prose is competent and occasionally sharp. There are moments of dark humor that almost land, and a few scenes that hint at something more incisive. Unfortunately, those moments are padded by repetition and a plot that prefers circling its themes to interrogating them.

By the end, the mystery resolves itself neatly enough, though without much emotional impact. I closed the book feeling informed rather than affected, which is not quite what one hopes for from a story built on murder and betrayal.

Three stars feels fair. It is readable, polished, and unlikely to offend. It is also unlikely to linger. A perfectly acceptable choice for a book club evening, particularly if the discussion is expected to be more engaging than the book itself.

[Kez · Rating 5 out of 5]

It turns out my own family gatherings may not be so bad after all...


The novel begins with a mobile camera shot of after-party chaos - a cinematic opening to Lucy Roth's new thriller. And the chaos is only just beginning. We meet the Moreland siblings, who are organising one last blow-out party, before they find out which of them will take on the responsibility of running the family estate. Because once you get to know them, you'll soon see why they can't run it together. Save for Kassie, the youngest Moreland, you'll never meet more entitled, spoilt, mean, cruel, and frankly, TERRIBLE people! And they're all quite aware of how awful they are, and that somehow makes it worse! And yet it makes for compulsive reading - you find you can't look away.


When the party is over and one of the guests is found dead, the Morelands decide to try and achieve the impossible and work together to hide the body. An estate inspection is due to take place and a body is quite inconvenient, and each of the siblings' future plans could be ruined. But the cover-up leads to further clashes and devastating revelations.


Each character that appears is more awful than the last, which is quite the feat, and yet it's not a book you can put down - I had to read in one sitting, and found myself cackling at the vileness of the siblings and their antics. Definitely a must-read if you like your thrillers tense with a side of dark humour.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four siblings are fighting for control of their estate that is currently under their grandmother’s control. These are adult siblings in their thirties and forties who still act like they’re in their twenties. Parties full of alcohol and illicit drugs, where you can just pay off anyone who catches the family’s behavior on camera. But it finally goes too far when a guest is discovered deceased the morning after their last big blowout. As the spoiled, wealthy morons they are, they hide the body so that they’ll pass an inspection – the last hurdle before their grandmother makes a choice of heir. What could go wrong?

So, of course, everything does, which is fine, because you won’t feel bad watching this family implode. It’s a fun and humorous story, but sometimes the humor is a stretch and just too crude. You don’t have to make every other piece of dialogue hilarious, you know? Otherwise, it’s a fast-paced story that you don’t have to get too emotionally invested in while waiting to see how it all plays out.

I think my favorite character was Iggy, the adorable goat! I love when stories feature exotic pets, and the author made sure to highlight everything an owner would need to properly care for one. She’s probably the best thing about that family, for sure. My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the free advanced reading copy of this book.

[Nicole Halka · Rating 5 out of 5]

What in the Saltburn did I just read?!

The Party to End All Parties by Lucy Roth is a darkly entertaining blend of privilege, dysfunction, and chaos. The story centers on an ultra-wealthy group of siblings, all vying to inherit their family’s estate after the death of their father. The decision rests with their formidable grandmother, who will choose an heir based on how each sibling envisions the estate’s future. In the days leading up to her verdict, the siblings decide to throw one final, decadent party, an ill advised mix of drugs, alcohol, and unresolved resentment, that quickly spirals out of control.

The siblings’ constant snark and sharp banter provide moments of dark humor (think Ready or Not–style family dysfunction), while the underlying tension keeps the stakes high. Every character is deeply flawed, insufferably complicated, and selfish in their own unique way. That complexity is exactly what makes the story work. Roth uses their dysfunction as both entertainment and propulsion, allowing the narrative to unravel naturally as secrets surface and alliances fracture. The final twist genuinely caught me off guard, and the ending felt both earned and satisfying. Sharp, messy, and wildly compelling, this is a story that lingers well after the party ends.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for the ARC.

[Shirley Painter · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚📚 Book Review📚📚- The Party To End All Parties by @lucyroth

🖤Dark, twisted family drama. The Morland siblings are waiting for Granny to announce who she has chosen to inherit and run the Morland estate. Fiercely competitive, each sibling has a business plan to secure their inheritance, each one desperately hoping Granny chooses them!

🎵One weekend they are hosting one of their legendary parties at the house. A drug and booze filled affair. A dead body appears, the siblings suspect each other.

Wow this family is super twisted, the dynamics are so messed up, they are highly dysfunctional and manipulative. The only characters I really liked from the beginning were sweet and considerate Kassie and Mrs Davies, the long standing suffering ‘servant.’ I hated Steven and Caitlin- they were evil and would stamp over anyone to get what they wanted- spoilt and over privileged are some words I’d use to describe them!

This book is a great example of how money can cause bad behaviour and rifts amongst families. There were so many twists and turns, I needed to keep reading to unravel it all! One thing is certain, I would not want any of the characters to be my siblings and Granny Morland was just power crazy I think!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t really love this one- I felt like it was an extremely slow burn with unlikable characters that were hard to differentiate from each other. It centers on the 4 Morland siblings, who grew up in the lap of luxury and are now all fighting to inherit the family mansion, as their grandmother is getting older. They throw a big party, which is what the book is based on, but apparently this is something they frequently do.

The murder in question doesn’t happen until more than halfway through the book, and everything up to that point is inner musings of the characters and repetitive dialogue as the author creates the backstory. Once the murder happens, the story picks up a bit but I still never felt fully invested in the characters. There was a decent twist toward the end of the book that I did like, but overall the pacing of the story just made it too slow for me. I loved the goat though- my favorite character for sure!

Overall, this one wasn’t really for me, though I did enjoy reading about the over the top decorations and the opulence of the house in general. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Angel **Book Junkie** · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Avon, NetGalley, and Lucy Roth for a copy of The Party to End All Parties in exchange for an honest review.

Eww. I genuinely hate giving a one-star review—especially to a book I actually stuck with to the bitter end—but wow, this one tested my patience.

I kept waiting for the moment. You know the one—where everything clicks, the drama explodes, and suddenly all that buildup pays off? Yeah… it never came. Every time I thought, “Okay, this is where it gets good,” it just… didn’t.

The characters? Didn’t connect with a single one.
The plot? Felt flat and never quite delivered on its promise.
The payoff? What payoff?

I really tried to hang in there because I was convinced it would redeem itself in the end. Spoiler: it didn’t. It just kind of… ended.

And look, not every book is for every reader, and that’s okay. This one just wasn’t for me—at all.

Final verdict: One star. I showed up, I stayed, and I’m still wondering why.

[Andria Lambert · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star rating. This is about a wealthy and entitled family that are vying for inheritance of an estate from the grandmother. There is a party to end all parties and the next day one of the guests is found dead. Instead of doing the right thing and calling the police, the body is hidden. This family is full of dysfunction and making bad decisions. There are secrets and shifting alliances, everyone has something to hide and there is no trust to be found. Everyone is a suspect and they all seem to have a motive. I found the story to be a little slow moving to begin with, with a lot of character backstory at the beginning of the book and then picks up pace about halfway through. I did find it an entertaining read. I would be interested in reading some more books by the author and I have already purchased another of her books. Thank you netgalley and Avon books for the complimentary copy of the story.

[Joana Henriques · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Party to End All Parties is the story of a dysfunctional family told in multiple POV, Kassie and Paul and sometimes a third background perspective. Kassie's POV is the main focus of the story, we get just a few chapters of Paul's POV specially towards half of the book.

Unfortunately, I did not really connect with any of the siblings so it made it harder to connect to the story.

There were a lot of secrets in the story that we, as readers, find out sometimes with the characters. In my opinion, there was a lot going on with the family, sometimes it was a bit much.

I felt that the story dragged a bit, specially since the book is sold as what would the family do when they find a body in the party they are hosting but it takes almost half the book to get to that point. After the halfway mark the book does pickup the pace.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Party to End All Parties by Lucy Roth

This is a darkly entertaining, sharp-witted thriller that delves into a dysfunctional family history and disastrous decision making. When a guest is found dead after one of the Morland siblings’ extravagant parties, the wealthy family choose concealment hiding the body in the wine cellar and triggering a spiral of disaster..

The plot thrives on its claustrophobic setting and the mounting pressure as inheritance, secrets and sibling rivalries collide. The characters are deeply flawed — selfish, entitled and oddly compelling and oddly amusing..

While the pacing occasionally dips, the mix of family drama, mystery and biting humour kept me engaged throughout. A clever, entertaining read with plenty of twists and sharp observations about privilege and self-interest. A solid four stars.

[Lisa (Two Bookish Brits) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my god…what in the what???

This family is seriously so messed up…just when I thought they couldn’t get worse something else pops up and damn, so chaotic!

My heart when out to Kassie, how that girl turned out to be the loveliest and kindest person ever when surrounded by sour, bitter people it blows my mind. She is nothing like those surrounding her. Kassie and her cute goat, Iggy were an absolute delight.

The absolute mayhem through these pages has had its claws sunk into me, I couldn’t put the book down even if I had tried. I loved the drama and the plot twists. The chaos was brilliant!

and that ending…oh. my. god!!!!

Mind…blown!!!

This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I have to say, I am loving her work. The books always have me hooked and she writes the most brilliant characters even if they’re not actually likeable.

[Laurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Party to End All Parties by Lucy Roth, published by Avon Books UK

This book was ok, I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, they all seemed self centered and their relationships seemed forced or fake, although that was the point in the book. The story was just so out there, it was like nothing was happening really and it lacked any depth.
The amount of alcohol and drugs that these characters seemed to use would have killed a normal human.
A little more history on the siblings might have helped the story. I found parts of the conversations that the siblings had quite repetitive. I did however like the goat.
I did like the twist towards the end of the novel and didn't see it coming
Overall the book never really wowed me, I kept waiting for that to change

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This follows a wealthy family (mainly the four siblings) that are throwing yet another party, but this time, things go wrong. And someone dies.

And now, these siblings have to figure out what's going on and how to keep the rest of the party from discovering what's going on. And yes, it gets a bit chaotic (in a fun way).

These are very complicated and not very likable characters. And I really liked that about this book. Normally, I want a likable character to root for, but it made sense for these characters to be unlikable. It really worked well here.

I did think that this started quite slow, but once it picked up, it picked up!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Party to End All Parties” is a complicated novel to review. Why? Well, first, there is not really too many redeeming qualities about this family. And I get that that is the point, but even the most likable among them isn’t really that great after all. So it’s hard to have too much sympathy in all of this.

The subject matters dealt with are cringy (incestuous thoughts, rape of a teen, drug abuse and alcohol abuse). I felt like I was passing a bad accident. I kept putting the book down to find that I had to take another look.

The worst part is that Lucy Roth is a really good writer and you keep wanting to read more but take a shower afterwards.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.

[Kevin Cannell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four Morland siblings - the kind of rich, spoilt, loathsome characters who always fascinate people. This novel takes place around one of their legendary parties which goes horribly wrong.

I did feel this one started a little slowly, but as I got deeper into the plot it became a real page turner. The story is told from the point of view of multiple characters, and Lucy Roth manages to juggle their different voices seamlessly.

Definitely one to stick with as it all comes together to a very satisfying denouement.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for providing the ARC in return for my honest review.

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've seen a few reviews that mention the beginning of the book was slow and hard to get into. I actually feel the opposite. I found the beginning to be like watching your favorite trashy soap opera, or reality show, play out right on the pages in true tasty fashion. We have the horrible Morland family, that has more money than morals. We arrived at an ending I rooted for, but I would have preferred a different path to get there. I don't want to give away anything so I won't be specific, but I would have liked more from Kassie. Overall, if you enjoy sibling rivalry with murderous intentions, this is it!

[Maja · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first, I want to thank both Netgalley and also Avon Books UK for this ARC!

I actually feel bad that I can not give this book more than 3 stars, but I need to be honest with me review here, right? And the truth is, that it was hard for me to get into the story, and also that I really did not like any of the Morland siblings. The whole story was messy and chaotic, and while I did like this with another thriller book full of dafk humour I've read recently, but with this one.... like, many of the conversations felt repetitive, and even the big twist in the end could not really make up for that, in my opinion. 3 stars from me.

[Colin Jackson-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable. I've read and enjoyed 3 of Lucy's other books (under her Lucy Nichol name) so am pretty much on her wavelength. Most of the characters are supposed to be unlikeable but Kassie & her goat Iggy are the heroes and I thought they were both loveable characters. There are a lot of threads sown throughout the book that build towards the ending so you're constantly trying to predict the outcome but still unlikely to guess it exactly right. I reas the book over about 3 days and looked forward to reading more each time I put it down.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a group of wealthy siblings, infamous for their wild parties, find something way worse than a hangover the day after one such blowout bash, they each suspect the other of some involvement.

But the family that plays together stays together, so they play nice (kind of) and collaborate to hide the corpse that they have found for now, and ask questions later...

Darkly humorous, this has some entertainment value, but does not quite live up to its considerable potential. An entertaining enough read.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Hasina Begum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Party to End All Parties is a masterclass in family dysfunction. The four siblings are brilliantly immature, making the battle for their father’s inheritance a wild, chaotic ride. Between the deep-seated resentment and the constant competitiveness, the party atmosphere becomes a pressure cooker that I couldn't stop reading.

What made it so gripping was the conflict of interest; I wasn’t sure who I wanted to side with more, as every character was equally flawed and fascinating. Even as someone who doesn't typically seek out drama, I found this story absolutely addictive.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Party to End All Parties is dark, the characters mostly unlikable (with the exception of Iggy), and yet I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s a fast read with lots of debaucherous twists and turns.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Party to End All Parties ahead of its official publication date.