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The Birthday Girl
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea
Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.
One of them is hiding a secret.
And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Four friends.
A party to die for.
Who will survive?
Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.
One of them is hiding a secret.
And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Four friends.
A party to die for.
Who will survive?
364 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2017
281 people are currently reading
3863 people want to read
About the author
Sue Fortin
15 books593 followersWriting historical fiction as Suzanne Fortin and mystery/suspense as Sue Fortin.
Suzanne writes historical fiction, predominantly dual timeline and set in France. Her books feature courageous women in extraordinary circumstances with love and family at the heart of all the stories.
Suzanne was a bookworm as a child and this naturally progressed to wanting to write her own stories. It wasn’t until she was on maternity leave with her fourth child, that she thought it was now or never and finally managed to write a complete novel. Having joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme, writing then as Sue Fortin, she sent her manuscript off for a critique.
After another year of working on the novel, Suzanne self-published United States of Love – a contemporary romance. This was then picked up by a traditional publisher, HarperCollins and under their imprint HarperImpulse (now One More Chapter) this book was republished. Writing as Sue Fortin, another seven books in the romantic suspense genre were published with HarperCollins.
More recently, Sue has moved to writing historical fiction and publishes under the name of Suzanne Fortin, with her debut in this genre, The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger released in early 2021 with Head of Zeus imprint, Aria Fiction.
A self-confessed Francophile, Suzanne has a home in the Morbihan region of France and visits as often as she can with her husband and family. The region has been a huge inspiration for Suzanne’s books and is often the backdrop to her writing.
Suzanne writes historical fiction, predominantly dual timeline and set in France. Her books feature courageous women in extraordinary circumstances with love and family at the heart of all the stories.
Suzanne was a bookworm as a child and this naturally progressed to wanting to write her own stories. It wasn’t until she was on maternity leave with her fourth child, that she thought it was now or never and finally managed to write a complete novel. Having joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme, writing then as Sue Fortin, she sent her manuscript off for a critique.
After another year of working on the novel, Suzanne self-published United States of Love – a contemporary romance. This was then picked up by a traditional publisher, HarperCollins and under their imprint HarperImpulse (now One More Chapter) this book was republished. Writing as Sue Fortin, another seven books in the romantic suspense genre were published with HarperCollins.
More recently, Sue has moved to writing historical fiction and publishes under the name of Suzanne Fortin, with her debut in this genre, The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger released in early 2021 with Head of Zeus imprint, Aria Fiction.
A self-confessed Francophile, Suzanne has a home in the Morbihan region of France and visits as often as she can with her husband and family. The region has been a huge inspiration for Suzanne’s books and is often the backdrop to her writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 535 reviews
February 1, 2018
3.5 stars
It's a Birthday party!
It's a guessing game!
Is it murder?
These ladies get together for the weekend in a cozy cottage in the secluded woods. Sounds lovely doesn't it? Joanne has many many things planned- hiking, trailing, boating, guessing games with clue cards, but what does this birthday girl really have on her mind?
I was really into the game and the setting. It was a fun theme, but it does turn darker and little outlandish (possibly), but still clever! One big shocker really had me flipping pages, and the twists kept me reading to see what would happen next. The conclusion was a bit of a stretch and
it took a while to sort all the different characters out, but overall an enjoyable lighter read! I would recommend to those enjoy twisty mysteries with a few jaw droppers!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for my copy to review!
It's a Birthday party!
It's a guessing game!
Is it murder?
These ladies get together for the weekend in a cozy cottage in the secluded woods. Sounds lovely doesn't it? Joanne has many many things planned- hiking, trailing, boating, guessing games with clue cards, but what does this birthday girl really have on her mind?
I was really into the game and the setting. It was a fun theme, but it does turn darker and little outlandish (possibly), but still clever! One big shocker really had me flipping pages, and the twists kept me reading to see what would happen next. The conclusion was a bit of a stretch and
it took a while to sort all the different characters out, but overall an enjoyable lighter read! I would recommend to those enjoy twisty mysteries with a few jaw droppers!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for my copy to review!
November 21, 2017
🌟🌟🌟🌟STARS
Now never having read anything of Sue Fortin before I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this.
Well, Wow, this certainly didn't disappoint.
I read this in practically one sitting, it was such addictive reading that I struggled to put "The Birthday Girl" down I was so engrossed.
This story tells the tale of four best friends, Carys, Zoe, Andrea and Joanne, all in or approaching their forties.
All Bogged down with the usual life dramas, petty jealousies and rivalries that usually come with groups of girls of all ages.
So when one of the girls, Joanne to be exact, decides to throw a very different fortieth party.
The other Girls half-heartedly accept her invitation.
Straight from the get-go, I loved how the scene was staged, Johanna lulling her friends into a false sense of security, outwardly not portraying her anger, but showing her game face and going in for the long con.
So there you are, You think you know where This tale is going, who the baddies are, when suddenly and without warning "The birthday girl" changes directions on you leaving you floundering in the wake of the upheaval.
And you're left there scratching your head in total confusion.
The Birthday girl will seriously confound your expectations and have you questioning everything that happens, nothing will be taken on face value and nobody is above suspicion.
On top of all this, there is also the mysterious voice that seems to hate Carys so much, I was so wrong on all fronts with this when attempting to use my sleuthing skills to unmask, brilliantly done indeed.
So the story that unfolds here drew me in straight from the beginning.
It manages to build layer upon layer until gradually a bigger overall picture is finally revealed.
This was so well done and it actually helped make the Birthday Girl such a page-turner.
this has all the ingredients of a five-star read and it wasn't until the last chapter that for me this lost some of its star quality.
I just really didn't like the ending, I've never really been into self-sacrificing or cutting off my nose to spite my face and that is what the last chapter to me stank of.
So Sorry to be so cryptic, but needs must as I really don't want to spoil this experience for others.
So there you have it, in a nutshell, this was such a good solid read, it flowed brilliantly, kept the reader guessing till the final pages and overall just pulled you right in.
So yes I would most certainly recommend this if you like a good psychological thriller, this is hands down, definitely one of the best I have experienced for a while.
So All that's left is to say thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with an ARC of The Birthday Girl this is my own honest and unbiased opinion.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
November 22, 2017
Oops looks like a minority view from me this time but I had quite a few problems with this story - although it's *really* difficult to rate because Sue Fortin is a really talented writer, I love the good writing but subjectively the story itself annoyed the living heck out of me.
Carys is annoying and her problems were not that interesting. Also on anti-depressants (yawn) prone to brain freezes at inopportune moments (bigger yawn) and lies through her teeth numerous times thinking she's doing the right thing but actually usually making it worse even though she's supposed to be intelligent (biggest yawn of all)
The birthday party itself. I'm sorry but it was silly. For a start nobody would go through all the steps to get there that the "friends" were expected to take, especially if they were already at odds and even more so if they were supposedly, again, intelligent women. Maybe the first bit. Even the second. But mobile phones taken away, put on a plane, no idea where they are going and completely cut off when they get there? Yeah I'd have said a few choice words, taken my phone and gone back to my duvet. It just felt so...puerile. I'm all for surprises but in the initial portions of this novel less would definitely have been more. I was already shaking my head in disbelief and I wasn't even that far into it.
Then it just got stupider. Confrontations (but still even when it was clear that they were not all jolly friends together they happily went off into the woods and followed all the instructions because of COURSE that's what you do when you have no idea where you are, have no communication with the outside world, your friend is acting oddly and you yourself are feeling slightly worried)
The resolution was very convoluted, for me didn't really sit logically within the context of the rest a kind of oh THIS happened BEFORE that and so THIS is what it's all about. Then the need to quite definitively over egg the pudding with a final twist. **rolls eyes**
BUT you know people love this stuff (as is reflected in the majority of the reviews) and the author is not at fault here really, she has an insightful writing eye and a clever turn of phrase that makes this a page turner even as I was spitting chips and going "really? REALLY?" as things unfolded. I didn't want to put it down, I was interested to see what the outcome was (even though my hoped for outcome was that they all fell off a cliff and died painfully ) and for lovers of the psychological thriller it will hit a lot of marks. I think with this genre now it's hit and miss, this was a miss for me but a hit for a lot of others.
Pfft. What do I know anyway?
Carys is annoying and her problems were not that interesting. Also on anti-depressants (yawn) prone to brain freezes at inopportune moments (bigger yawn) and lies through her teeth numerous times thinking she's doing the right thing but actually usually making it worse even though she's supposed to be intelligent (biggest yawn of all)
The birthday party itself. I'm sorry but it was silly. For a start nobody would go through all the steps to get there that the "friends" were expected to take, especially if they were already at odds and even more so if they were supposedly, again, intelligent women. Maybe the first bit. Even the second. But mobile phones taken away, put on a plane, no idea where they are going and completely cut off when they get there? Yeah I'd have said a few choice words, taken my phone and gone back to my duvet. It just felt so...puerile. I'm all for surprises but in the initial portions of this novel less would definitely have been more. I was already shaking my head in disbelief and I wasn't even that far into it.
Then it just got stupider. Confrontations (but still even when it was clear that they were not all jolly friends together they happily went off into the woods and followed all the instructions because of COURSE that's what you do when you have no idea where you are, have no communication with the outside world, your friend is acting oddly and you yourself are feeling slightly worried)
The resolution was very convoluted, for me didn't really sit logically within the context of the rest a kind of oh THIS happened BEFORE that and so THIS is what it's all about. Then the need to quite definitively over egg the pudding with a final twist. **rolls eyes**
BUT you know people love this stuff (as is reflected in the majority of the reviews) and the author is not at fault here really, she has an insightful writing eye and a clever turn of phrase that makes this a page turner even as I was spitting chips and going "really? REALLY?" as things unfolded. I didn't want to put it down, I was interested to see what the outcome was (even though my hoped for outcome was that they all fell off a cliff and died painfully ) and for lovers of the psychological thriller it will hit a lot of marks. I think with this genre now it's hit and miss, this was a miss for me but a hit for a lot of others.
Pfft. What do I know anyway?
January 23, 2018
While reading this book all I could think of was the expression...with friends like these who needs enemies! Secrets and lies abound and Sue Fortin gives us just enough creepy atmosphere to go along with it.
Four best friends gather for Joanne's 40th birthday. This isn't just any birthday celebration. Joanne has planned it down to every detail. The women are whisked away to Scotland to a remote cabin in the woods. She has confiscated all of their phones to have a bonding weekend filled with games and adventure. As soon as her guests arrive you can already sense that something isn't quite right. This sense of foreboding never let's up until you flip the last page.
This is a fast, fun, twisty, and entertaining novel. I was glued to the pages. Is it all plausible? No, not at all. Do I care? No, not at all. This was a perfect read for me right now after having read a few duds lately. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Edelweiss for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Four best friends gather for Joanne's 40th birthday. This isn't just any birthday celebration. Joanne has planned it down to every detail. The women are whisked away to Scotland to a remote cabin in the woods. She has confiscated all of their phones to have a bonding weekend filled with games and adventure. As soon as her guests arrive you can already sense that something isn't quite right. This sense of foreboding never let's up until you flip the last page.
This is a fast, fun, twisty, and entertaining novel. I was glued to the pages. Is it all plausible? No, not at all. Do I care? No, not at all. This was a perfect read for me right now after having read a few duds lately. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Edelweiss for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2018
“There is still no cure for the common birthday.”
----John Glenn
Sue Fortin, an English author, has penned an atmospheric and compelling thriller called, The Birthday Girl that revolves around a mother, of a teenage son, who has recently lost her husband, receiving the best birthday surprise that she cannot ever imagine in her lifetime from someone really close to her heart, even though she has three best friends and one of her friends has already planned out a surprise weekend getaway somewhere away from the regular noises of the city, and in there unfolds a deathly mystery when the host of the holiday, reveals the secrets of each women through a creepy guessing game, finally turning fatal.
Synopsis:
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea
Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.
One of them is hiding a secret.
And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Four friends.
A party to die for.
Who will survive?
Carys never knew that her birthday would turn out to be so devastating that she would lose everything she holds dear to in her life in one single sweep, when she agrees to a weekend getaway at a remote location hosted by one of her best friend's named, Joanne. So along with Zoe and Andrea, her other two best friends, Carys join in Joanne's surprise birthday weekend trip where Joanne has already pre-planned everything in advance to shock the hell out of her best friends. Starting with a creepy guessing game and then moving on to adventure sports, Joanne is hell bound to reveal her friends' ugly secrets. Not until, Joanne herself becomes a victim of her own game and Carys could never imagine or believe the person who would eventually present her with the best birthday gift of her life. But sadly Carys and her friends are staying at a country houses somewhere so isolated that no one can come to their rescue if they need any help.
From now on, Sue Fortin will be my "go-to" author whenever her books come out. Fortin's story got into my skin and scared the hell out of me. No matter how much I kept guessing and anticipating the climax or certain turn of events, I could not even once could rightly surmise the climax. Trust me, its epic and it did blew my mind off. Felt a bit unrealistic to me in the beginning, but later I realized that either grief can make you an evil or can make you depressed. Her story is the perfect example of how grief can affect one human being in the most twisted way that they can be blindsided by that grief turned into rage.
The author's writing style is quite articulate and her story telling is really captivating enough and it is going to keep the readers glued to the pages of her book till the very end. The dialogues are engaging enough to peak the readers' interest as per the swift pace of the story line. The prose is lucid yet it is underlay with lots of edgy tension to make the plot extremely gripping enough for her readers. The voices of the characters are extremely realistic and the whole setting or rather say the backdrop is in perfect sync with the mystery unfolding before it.
The mystery is really well concocted by the author. She has laced her plot with unpredictable twists and turns, and not only that, the mood of the story line has been set to something filled with deep, dark, moody suspense and thrilling enough to give the readers that bone-chilling feel all through out. The characters are really well depicted and portrayed through their flaws and honesty and realism.
And yes, no doubt, they are layered with so much depth that by the end of the book, the readers might feel like they already know the characters by the back of their hands.
Also all through out the story line, each and every character is bound to keep a firm psychological grip on the minds of the readers. The author has developed them brilliantly, they are the cherry on the top of this book. And because of those flawed and complex characters, the story itself becomes a riveting one that a reader cannot afford to miss it.
In a nutshell, this story is a must read and if you love reading chilly and creepy thrillers, then this book is the perfect fit for you!
PS: A spooky book penned vividly by the author, so its better that you don't read it on your birthday!
Verdict: Absolutely eerie and gripping thriller that is a must read!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----John Glenn
Sue Fortin, an English author, has penned an atmospheric and compelling thriller called, The Birthday Girl that revolves around a mother, of a teenage son, who has recently lost her husband, receiving the best birthday surprise that she cannot ever imagine in her lifetime from someone really close to her heart, even though she has three best friends and one of her friends has already planned out a surprise weekend getaway somewhere away from the regular noises of the city, and in there unfolds a deathly mystery when the host of the holiday, reveals the secrets of each women through a creepy guessing game, finally turning fatal.
Synopsis:
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea
Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.
One of them is hiding a secret.
And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Four friends.
A party to die for.
Who will survive?
Carys never knew that her birthday would turn out to be so devastating that she would lose everything she holds dear to in her life in one single sweep, when she agrees to a weekend getaway at a remote location hosted by one of her best friend's named, Joanne. So along with Zoe and Andrea, her other two best friends, Carys join in Joanne's surprise birthday weekend trip where Joanne has already pre-planned everything in advance to shock the hell out of her best friends. Starting with a creepy guessing game and then moving on to adventure sports, Joanne is hell bound to reveal her friends' ugly secrets. Not until, Joanne herself becomes a victim of her own game and Carys could never imagine or believe the person who would eventually present her with the best birthday gift of her life. But sadly Carys and her friends are staying at a country houses somewhere so isolated that no one can come to their rescue if they need any help.
From now on, Sue Fortin will be my "go-to" author whenever her books come out. Fortin's story got into my skin and scared the hell out of me. No matter how much I kept guessing and anticipating the climax or certain turn of events, I could not even once could rightly surmise the climax. Trust me, its epic and it did blew my mind off. Felt a bit unrealistic to me in the beginning, but later I realized that either grief can make you an evil or can make you depressed. Her story is the perfect example of how grief can affect one human being in the most twisted way that they can be blindsided by that grief turned into rage.
The author's writing style is quite articulate and her story telling is really captivating enough and it is going to keep the readers glued to the pages of her book till the very end. The dialogues are engaging enough to peak the readers' interest as per the swift pace of the story line. The prose is lucid yet it is underlay with lots of edgy tension to make the plot extremely gripping enough for her readers. The voices of the characters are extremely realistic and the whole setting or rather say the backdrop is in perfect sync with the mystery unfolding before it.
The mystery is really well concocted by the author. She has laced her plot with unpredictable twists and turns, and not only that, the mood of the story line has been set to something filled with deep, dark, moody suspense and thrilling enough to give the readers that bone-chilling feel all through out. The characters are really well depicted and portrayed through their flaws and honesty and realism.
And yes, no doubt, they are layered with so much depth that by the end of the book, the readers might feel like they already know the characters by the back of their hands.
Also all through out the story line, each and every character is bound to keep a firm psychological grip on the minds of the readers. The author has developed them brilliantly, they are the cherry on the top of this book. And because of those flawed and complex characters, the story itself becomes a riveting one that a reader cannot afford to miss it.
In a nutshell, this story is a must read and if you love reading chilly and creepy thrillers, then this book is the perfect fit for you!
PS: A spooky book penned vividly by the author, so its better that you don't read it on your birthday!
Verdict: Absolutely eerie and gripping thriller that is a must read!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
November 5, 2017
Wow! This book blew me away! I loved Sister Sister so it was a no brainer to request this book on Netgalley when it came up. Once you start this book it is very hard to put it down.4 friends go away on a birthday weekend... a weekend that will change of of their lives forever. So many lies and twists.. this book was fantastic. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for a copy of this book to read and review
December 18, 2017
This book was a shocker of a story. Where I thought the book ended and there would be nothing more to know, other than to read it for a thrill, the story actually started.
This is my first book by Sue Fortin, and I was bloody well enthralled to leave other work and get to the last page. It was a race against time. This is the book which made me go ‘One more chapter and I would sleep’ till the end.
All the credit goes to the author, Sue Fortin. She starts the story as a routine murder mystery. Joanne invites her friends Carys, Andrea, and Zoe to her adventure themed birthday weekend in a cottage in an isolated part of Scotland. And one of them dies. Which one of them is a killer?
I liked the way the location of the story, in the middle of nowhere, with no compass, no phones, no means of communication other than a walkie talkie. With the dead body shifted to the shed, with every friend having a motive for murder, with every friend having the opportunity to murder, doubts and suspicions arise.
There were twists and turns to keep the adrenaline flowing. I did guess the killer, but it was fun to see the story rush to its finale. I love books which follow their own definitions and logic. The twisted mind of a killer, the need for revenge, and the sub-layers in the plots are all well weaved into this story by Sue Fortin.
There are a few niggles; I wanted main character, Carys to be stronger than what she was shown in the story. She came across as an escapist, at least to me. I wanted more background about their friendship. It did come across in bits and pieces in the mystery.
Action and drama, murder and suspicion, friends and hidden enemies, this book gives it all with Sue Fortin at its helm…
This is my first book by Sue Fortin, and I was bloody well enthralled to leave other work and get to the last page. It was a race against time. This is the book which made me go ‘One more chapter and I would sleep’ till the end.
All the credit goes to the author, Sue Fortin. She starts the story as a routine murder mystery. Joanne invites her friends Carys, Andrea, and Zoe to her adventure themed birthday weekend in a cottage in an isolated part of Scotland. And one of them dies. Which one of them is a killer?
I liked the way the location of the story, in the middle of nowhere, with no compass, no phones, no means of communication other than a walkie talkie. With the dead body shifted to the shed, with every friend having a motive for murder, with every friend having the opportunity to murder, doubts and suspicions arise.
There were twists and turns to keep the adrenaline flowing. I did guess the killer, but it was fun to see the story rush to its finale. I love books which follow their own definitions and logic. The twisted mind of a killer, the need for revenge, and the sub-layers in the plots are all well weaved into this story by Sue Fortin.
There are a few niggles; I wanted main character, Carys to be stronger than what she was shown in the story. She came across as an escapist, at least to me. I wanted more background about their friendship. It did come across in bits and pieces in the mystery.
Action and drama, murder and suspicion, friends and hidden enemies, this book gives it all with Sue Fortin at its helm…
August 1, 2021
This was a very middle of the road read for me.
The first half very nearly put me off this book as I felt it was a very stereotypical portrayal of a group of four female friends. The middle to end did improve but I guessed the twist very early on. I probably wouldn’t recommend or read another of her books. X
The first half very nearly put me off this book as I felt it was a very stereotypical portrayal of a group of four female friends. The middle to end did improve but I guessed the twist very early on. I probably wouldn’t recommend or read another of her books. X
April 24, 2018
3.5 stars
What was suppose to be a fun weekend celebrating a birthday turns scarily tragic and creepy. This was a good story although it was not too difficult figuring out who was the bad girl.
Another good story brought to me by my local library!
What was suppose to be a fun weekend celebrating a birthday turns scarily tragic and creepy. This was a good story although it was not too difficult figuring out who was the bad girl.
Another good story brought to me by my local library!
December 2, 2017
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting. One of them is hiding a secret. And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Four friends. A party to die for. Who will survive?
Wow,Omg,I absolutely loved this well written,gripping,intense,fast paced,twist packed thriller.The story is mainly voiced by Carys whose narrative isn't exactly reliable.Interspersed throughout the book are parts that are voiced by a unknown person whose identity when it was revealed took me totally by surprise.I thought I had worked out who the person was but I was 100% wrong.The story hooks you in from the very first page,the sense of unease building as Carys,Andrea and Zoe travel to their mysterious destination where Joanne is waiting for them.Once they get to the cottage that's where the fun and games begin,all four of the women have secrets,could one of them have revenge on her mind? or is someone else playing sick games and terrorizing the four women for their own personal reasons?.All the characters are realistic and believable,Andrea was definitely my favourite,if she had something to say,she said it whether you like what she said or not.The setting was perfect for some intense,gripping action scenes that had me holding my breath,frantically turning the pages and snarling at anyone who dared to interrupt me while I was reading.
I absolutely loved this riveting psychological thriller,the plot is compelling and intricate and has more twists and turns than the river that flows near the cottage.I would love to give this book far more than 5 stars.Highly recommended by little old me.
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK / Harper Impulse for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting. One of them is hiding a secret. And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Four friends. A party to die for. Who will survive?
Wow,Omg,I absolutely loved this well written,gripping,intense,fast paced,twist packed thriller.The story is mainly voiced by Carys whose narrative isn't exactly reliable.Interspersed throughout the book are parts that are voiced by a unknown person whose identity when it was revealed took me totally by surprise.I thought I had worked out who the person was but I was 100% wrong.The story hooks you in from the very first page,the sense of unease building as Carys,Andrea and Zoe travel to their mysterious destination where Joanne is waiting for them.Once they get to the cottage that's where the fun and games begin,all four of the women have secrets,could one of them have revenge on her mind? or is someone else playing sick games and terrorizing the four women for their own personal reasons?.All the characters are realistic and believable,Andrea was definitely my favourite,if she had something to say,she said it whether you like what she said or not.The setting was perfect for some intense,gripping action scenes that had me holding my breath,frantically turning the pages and snarling at anyone who dared to interrupt me while I was reading.
I absolutely loved this riveting psychological thriller,the plot is compelling and intricate and has more twists and turns than the river that flows near the cottage.I would love to give this book far more than 5 stars.Highly recommended by little old me.
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK / Harper Impulse for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
August 2, 2020
The Birthday Girl features an intriguing premise with some unexpected surprises along the way.
Four friends gather to spend the weekend celebrating one of their fortieth birthdays. But what Carys, Zoe, and Andrea don’t know is that Joanne has a weekend full of surprises planned for them. And when the weekend is over, their secrets will be exposed. Isolated in a cabin far from civilization, their celebratory weekend quickly becomes one of survival.
The idea of a weekend full of scavenger hunts and games is one I really enjoyed. I think my favorite part of this book was the first half when Jo has everyone playing games with no clue as to why. I spent a good portion of the book trying to figure out her endgame and I liked what it ended up being when it was finally revealed. Unfortunately the second half of this book didn’t work as well for me. After something happens while the four women are isolated at the cabin, the book takes off in an unexpected direction. My main issue was that the characters' reactions made absolutely no sense. I understand that there was someone moving behind the scenes, organizing things to get the characters where they needed them to go, but if the characters had bothered reacting in a logical manner, none of what happened in the second half would have happened. I will say the book is fast-paced and full of suspense, I just couldn’t get past the characters acting so illogically leading to so many bad decisions.
The characters in this book were well done with each developed well enough that I was easily able to tell them apart. The relationships between the four women were very realistic with petty grievances, shared secrets, and hidden hurts. Of the four women, we spend nearly the entire book following Carys’s character so we got to learn more about her than any of the others. I liked Carys, she had her flaws and secrets, but they made her more interesting. Interspersed with Carys’s chapters are chapters from the point of view of an unknown person who clearly wishes to harm Carys. I spent a good part of the book trying to figure out who those chapters followed and I was surprised when it was revealed.
Overall while I didn’t love The Birthday Girl, it was still an enjoyable read and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Four friends gather to spend the weekend celebrating one of their fortieth birthdays. But what Carys, Zoe, and Andrea don’t know is that Joanne has a weekend full of surprises planned for them. And when the weekend is over, their secrets will be exposed. Isolated in a cabin far from civilization, their celebratory weekend quickly becomes one of survival.
The idea of a weekend full of scavenger hunts and games is one I really enjoyed. I think my favorite part of this book was the first half when Jo has everyone playing games with no clue as to why. I spent a good portion of the book trying to figure out her endgame and I liked what it ended up being when it was finally revealed. Unfortunately the second half of this book didn’t work as well for me. After something happens while the four women are isolated at the cabin, the book takes off in an unexpected direction. My main issue was that the characters' reactions made absolutely no sense. I understand that there was someone moving behind the scenes, organizing things to get the characters where they needed them to go, but if the characters had bothered reacting in a logical manner, none of what happened in the second half would have happened. I will say the book is fast-paced and full of suspense, I just couldn’t get past the characters acting so illogically leading to so many bad decisions.
The characters in this book were well done with each developed well enough that I was easily able to tell them apart. The relationships between the four women were very realistic with petty grievances, shared secrets, and hidden hurts. Of the four women, we spend nearly the entire book following Carys’s character so we got to learn more about her than any of the others. I liked Carys, she had her flaws and secrets, but they made her more interesting. Interspersed with Carys’s chapters are chapters from the point of view of an unknown person who clearly wishes to harm Carys. I spent a good part of the book trying to figure out who those chapters followed and I was surprised when it was revealed.
Overall while I didn’t love The Birthday Girl, it was still an enjoyable read and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
October 26, 2020
4 Sterne (= sehr gut)
Holpriger Anfang, was die Dynamik der Frauenfreundesgruppe angeht. Dann sehr gut das entlegene Natursetting eingebunden und flott erzählt mit spannenden Wendungen (die nicht völlig unvorsehbar waren, aber knackig erzählt waren).
Holpriger Anfang, was die Dynamik der Frauenfreundesgruppe angeht. Dann sehr gut das entlegene Natursetting eingebunden und flott erzählt mit spannenden Wendungen (die nicht völlig unvorsehbar waren, aber knackig erzählt waren).
January 24, 2022
No está mal aunque es un poco fantasioso y hay cosas cogidas con pinzas. Para pasar el rato cuando no sabes qué leer.
July 19, 2019
3.5 stars
I enjoyed listening to this. It's a family drama / mystery / domestic thriller involving 4 women who leave their families behind for a surprise weekend away for birthday celebrations (secrets alert!).
This was a bit of a rollercoaster with plenty of red herrings - I think it was pretty obvious which way the book was going but that did not detract from my interest.
These people are all unlikeable so if you find that difficult I would avoid this one.
These women really do need to look up the definition of 'friends' in the dictionary... and I really wouldn't be walking about with all that anger bubbling away...
What could possibly go wrong ???!!!
I enjoyed listening to this. It's a family drama / mystery / domestic thriller involving 4 women who leave their families behind for a surprise weekend away for birthday celebrations (secrets alert!).
This was a bit of a rollercoaster with plenty of red herrings - I think it was pretty obvious which way the book was going but that did not detract from my interest.
These people are all unlikeable so if you find that difficult I would avoid this one.
These women really do need to look up the definition of 'friends' in the dictionary... and I really wouldn't be walking about with all that anger bubbling away...
What could possibly go wrong ???!!!
June 12, 2018
This author I discovered on my own. I was hooked into the story from the very first chapter. There were twists and turns in this book that I did not forsee. I enjoyed this author's way of developing characters. The mind-games that were played out in this book blew my mind. I will seek out this author again in the future.
August 21, 2020
3.5 Buen comienzo, pero el desarrollo y final muy flojo.
November 26, 2017
Having thoroughly enjoyed Sister Sister and felt underwhelmed by The Girl Who Lied, this authors latest book falls somewhere in the middle. I enjoy her ideas but not necessarily how they translate through her writing.
The Birthday Girl features a group of four friends (who don’t really seem all that friendly...) as they embark on a weekend getaway somewhere in the remotest part of eastern Scotland. As with her previous books, the author includes a substantial dose of red herrings and good old fashioned mystery.
I thought the lead character, Cerys, was more developed than the rest of the cast.
What frustrated me about this book was that the dialogue seemed stilted or too obvious.
“STOP THAT! YOU’RE HURTING ME!”
“I’M CALLING THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!”
You get the idea. As I’m sure I mentioned in my reviews of her other two books, the dialogue between characters read like a bad soap script. As a reader, I like to speculate what the characters are thinking in order to anticipate their actions. With this book, everything was spelt out so you actually didn’t need to work very hard to understand the plot. As a result, the ending is anti climatic and frustrating.
Now that I’ve read three of this authors books, I sit firmly on the fence as to whether or not I would recommend her work. Having said that, I am likely to purchase her next book just because I enjoyed Sister Sister so much!
The Birthday Girl features a group of four friends (who don’t really seem all that friendly...) as they embark on a weekend getaway somewhere in the remotest part of eastern Scotland. As with her previous books, the author includes a substantial dose of red herrings and good old fashioned mystery.
I thought the lead character, Cerys, was more developed than the rest of the cast.
What frustrated me about this book was that the dialogue seemed stilted or too obvious.
“STOP THAT! YOU’RE HURTING ME!”
“I’M CALLING THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!”
You get the idea. As I’m sure I mentioned in my reviews of her other two books, the dialogue between characters read like a bad soap script. As a reader, I like to speculate what the characters are thinking in order to anticipate their actions. With this book, everything was spelt out so you actually didn’t need to work very hard to understand the plot. As a result, the ending is anti climatic and frustrating.
Now that I’ve read three of this authors books, I sit firmly on the fence as to whether or not I would recommend her work. Having said that, I am likely to purchase her next book just because I enjoyed Sister Sister so much!
December 12, 2017
Couldn't get past 25%. With friends like these, who needs enemies. Couldn't stand the characters and just made me depressed.
December 9, 2019
That's how your gonna wrap it up.
Like SERIOUSLY!!! How much melodrama does a thriller need?
October 30, 2017
4 friends set off on a suprise birthday weekend away. Joanne arranges it all for her 3 friends. What a lovely friend she is. Or is she? Is there a motive behind the weekend away? What exactly has she got planned. Almost from the word go the women feel uneasy with how things are playing out. Then things start to take a nasty turn. I loved this book. Good mix of characters. Well written book with lots of twists and turns. Was hard to put down once you started. Highly recommended
September 20, 2020
When Carys, Andrea and Zoe are invited to a secret weekend trip away by their friend Joanne, they find it hard to decline. The trip is supposed to ment the cracks in their friendship but as the weekend goes on they find this may not just be an innocent trip. They are all hiding a secret and someone wants revenge.
I do have some mixed feelings on this one. This is a good thrilling read and I loved the first half. It was tense and the concept was creative.
However, I did find the second half dragged slightly and wasn't blown away with the twist at the end.
That being said I couldn't put this down so definitely would be interested in reading more from this author.
I do have some mixed feelings on this one. This is a good thrilling read and I loved the first half. It was tense and the concept was creative.
However, I did find the second half dragged slightly and wasn't blown away with the twist at the end.
That being said I couldn't put this down so definitely would be interested in reading more from this author.
February 6, 2025
Four best friends gather for a truly unforgettable trip. This book surprised me, I was expecting a run of the mill thriller, which in a way it was, but in other ways it's so much more. This book is a deceit, guilt, secrets and revenge. The plot is so well done I never knew what was coming next, I didn't know who to trust, no one was reliable or totally believable and everyone had secrets.
The only thing that let this book down a little was the ending, it was a little rushed, I would have liked a flash forward maybe to ten years later. I do understand why it was done the way it was done. I think we needed a flash forward on how everyone had been effected by the events of that week just to round it off nicely.
The only thing that let this book down a little was the ending, it was a little rushed, I would have liked a flash forward maybe to ten years later. I do understand why it was done the way it was done. I think we needed a flash forward on how everyone had been effected by the events of that week just to round it off nicely.
November 9, 2017
The Birthday Girl is easily in my top 5 reads of 2018! Pure brilliance!
Sue just has this natural way of building genuine, hair-raising tension that I rarely come across - and I read A LOT!
I’ll be recommending this book for a long time to come.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sue just has this natural way of building genuine, hair-raising tension that I rarely come across - and I read A LOT!
I’ll be recommending this book for a long time to come.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2023
A bit of a problem for me. It started out very well and held my attention. However, once we got to the middle, and to the end, more characters were added, and muddied, the plot line for me.
I thought the strength of this book was in his characters and Sue Fortin should be commended.
I recommend.
I thought the strength of this book was in his characters and Sue Fortin should be commended.
I recommend.
November 23, 2017
**Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.
4.5 stars!!!
This book has got to be one of the best I have read so far this year. It was so intense. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was literally on the edge of my seat. The book is based on the premise that 3 friends are invited to a weekend getaway by their mutual best friend for her fortieth birthday. But, what unravels in the days that follow makes us realise that this is no ordinary birthday celebration.
From the get-go, Sue Fortin creates a story fraught with tension and an underlying sinister edge. The story focuses on the secrets friends keep, family dysfunction and the lengths one would go to get revenge. The MC Carys apparently seems to be harbouring a lot of insecurities and lies. Moreover, as a reader, we can sense that she has a past that she wishes to keep buried and doesn't confront her issues. In addition, we can also gauge that her friends are not as straightforward about their lives either. The book takes a lot of twists and makes you actually wonder who can be trusted. No one is above board. That added a lot of dimension to the characters and enlivened the storyline further.
I also thought the structure helped in amping up the psychological impact of this book. The chapters were short and concise which made reading fairly easy. Interspaced between Carys POV of events, the author also gives a peek into the mind of the perpetrator which leaves the reader guessing why this person who would want revenge but as the story unfolds, you are left second-guessing if your guess to who might be capable of such heinous acts is right. I especially loved that part of the novel as it helped one to get actively engaged with the plot. In terms of the reveals, they were absolutely mindblowing and I was left speechless at how things were wrapped up. In essence, I would say Sue Fortin is a master storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her work. I would recommend this thriller if you like complex plots and like playing amateur detective. I know I sure did :)
4.5 stars!!!
This book has got to be one of the best I have read so far this year. It was so intense. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was literally on the edge of my seat. The book is based on the premise that 3 friends are invited to a weekend getaway by their mutual best friend for her fortieth birthday. But, what unravels in the days that follow makes us realise that this is no ordinary birthday celebration.
From the get-go, Sue Fortin creates a story fraught with tension and an underlying sinister edge. The story focuses on the secrets friends keep, family dysfunction and the lengths one would go to get revenge. The MC Carys apparently seems to be harbouring a lot of insecurities and lies. Moreover, as a reader, we can sense that she has a past that she wishes to keep buried and doesn't confront her issues. In addition, we can also gauge that her friends are not as straightforward about their lives either. The book takes a lot of twists and makes you actually wonder who can be trusted. No one is above board. That added a lot of dimension to the characters and enlivened the storyline further.
I also thought the structure helped in amping up the psychological impact of this book. The chapters were short and concise which made reading fairly easy. Interspaced between Carys POV of events, the author also gives a peek into the mind of the perpetrator which leaves the reader guessing why this person who would want revenge but as the story unfolds, you are left second-guessing if your guess to who might be capable of such heinous acts is right. I especially loved that part of the novel as it helped one to get actively engaged with the plot. In terms of the reveals, they were absolutely mindblowing and I was left speechless at how things were wrapped up. In essence, I would say Sue Fortin is a master storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her work. I would recommend this thriller if you like complex plots and like playing amateur detective. I know I sure did :)
March 11, 2018
3.5 stars.
The first half of this book was not thrilling at all, but I really started to enjoy it once it picked up.
I thought the characters were decently rounded, even if they're stupid.
The ending kiiiinda shook me. That's all I'll say.
The first half of this book was not thrilling at all, but I really started to enjoy it once it picked up.
I thought the characters were decently rounded, even if they're stupid.
The ending kiiiinda shook me. That's all I'll say.
November 20, 2017
Creepy, eerie, atmospheric, baffling but utterly addictive are all words that I would happily use to describe The Birthday Girl.
This is a story that kept me guessing , and then something else came to light, andI started to guess in other directions, but at no point was I able to put 2 and 2 together.
The first few chapters were a great introduction to the characters and also in giving a full idea as to just how excluded the croft that the friends would be staying in was. It was like a magical mystery tour - only not magical in getting them to this incredibly remote location, and they had even handed over their phones for the weekend.
Imagine being invited to a weekend away in the woods with your closest friends only the friend that invited you has had falling outs in the past year with all the other guests. Ramp up the tension with an isolated location in the middle of nowhere, no means of communication with the outside world, and at least one person who seems to have an ulterior motive for the weekend.
Well that is just the scene setting for Carys, Andrea, Zoe and Joanne, as they embark on a weekend that I doubt any of them will ever forget.
There are outdoor adventure activities, guessing games and clearly plenty of secrets to be unveiled, From the second I fully got into the book, which was a bit further in than it should have been due to outside influences on my reading, I was hooked and didn't want to stop reading for any reason, although I am purely blaming the author if I have nightmares this evening.
The descriptions conjured up such vivid pictures that I had a really good feel for the isolation the characters must have been feeling, plus all the confusion and all the other emotions. Some of the secrets were more troubling than others and Carys already had to go through far more in her past few years than anyone should have to deal with.
The Birthday Girl crept under my skin to the extent that I had no idea whether it was the feeling of creepiness from the book that lead to me feeling like something was crawling up my arm, or whether there really was something there. Sue Fortin is to my eyes becoming an incredibly accomplished author and pretty much a must read for me every time she releases a new book, simply superb.
This was a birthday party that will stick with you for a long time, and if you do buy this as a Birthday present for anyone, I think it needs to be given with a disclaimer that you hope their celebrations don't turn out like they do in the story!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This is a story that kept me guessing , and then something else came to light, andI started to guess in other directions, but at no point was I able to put 2 and 2 together.
The first few chapters were a great introduction to the characters and also in giving a full idea as to just how excluded the croft that the friends would be staying in was. It was like a magical mystery tour - only not magical in getting them to this incredibly remote location, and they had even handed over their phones for the weekend.
Imagine being invited to a weekend away in the woods with your closest friends only the friend that invited you has had falling outs in the past year with all the other guests. Ramp up the tension with an isolated location in the middle of nowhere, no means of communication with the outside world, and at least one person who seems to have an ulterior motive for the weekend.
Well that is just the scene setting for Carys, Andrea, Zoe and Joanne, as they embark on a weekend that I doubt any of them will ever forget.
There are outdoor adventure activities, guessing games and clearly plenty of secrets to be unveiled, From the second I fully got into the book, which was a bit further in than it should have been due to outside influences on my reading, I was hooked and didn't want to stop reading for any reason, although I am purely blaming the author if I have nightmares this evening.
The descriptions conjured up such vivid pictures that I had a really good feel for the isolation the characters must have been feeling, plus all the confusion and all the other emotions. Some of the secrets were more troubling than others and Carys already had to go through far more in her past few years than anyone should have to deal with.
The Birthday Girl crept under my skin to the extent that I had no idea whether it was the feeling of creepiness from the book that lead to me feeling like something was crawling up my arm, or whether there really was something there. Sue Fortin is to my eyes becoming an incredibly accomplished author and pretty much a must read for me every time she releases a new book, simply superb.
This was a birthday party that will stick with you for a long time, and if you do buy this as a Birthday present for anyone, I think it needs to be given with a disclaimer that you hope their celebrations don't turn out like they do in the story!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
December 3, 2017
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I loved this book!! It really gripped me and I didn't want to stop reading until I reached the very end - it was very hard to put down!
The pace was spot on and it slowly built up speed from the beginning. I loved the build up as the partygoers went from destination to destination at the very outset so even the reader had no idea where they were going to end up. The characters were great and I loved how they worked so well together to make it such an enjoyable read!
Twists and turns, shocks and suspense - I have given the book 5 stars and it is definitely a book I'm going to be recommending!!
I loved this book!! It really gripped me and I didn't want to stop reading until I reached the very end - it was very hard to put down!
The pace was spot on and it slowly built up speed from the beginning. I loved the build up as the partygoers went from destination to destination at the very outset so even the reader had no idea where they were going to end up. The characters were great and I loved how they worked so well together to make it such an enjoyable read!
Twists and turns, shocks and suspense - I have given the book 5 stars and it is definitely a book I'm going to be recommending!!
March 14, 2018
The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin
4.5 ★
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea
Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises
the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting. One of them is hiding a secret. And Joanne is planning to reveal it. A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
This book gives truth to the saying "with friends like this who needs enemies." I found it rather odd that with the history between these women they would so willingly take off on a trip planned by the "birthday girl" that they didn't know the destination...they were made to give up their cell phones...they were led to participate in activities that they were not very good at and all this in the middle of nowhere Scotland. I really didn't like any of these ladies and liked them even less by the end of the book. So why the 4.5 stars? The plot was unique and kept the pages turning. I read more than half the book in one setting just to see what stupid thing they would do next. There were lots of surprises in the story and just when you think you have sorted out who is telling the truth another block is presented. Some of the things they allowed to happen made no sense but I had already decided that these women were not the brightest bulbs in the package. I'm going to defidently try something else by this author. I think she has a lot of promise.
4.5 ★
Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea
Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises
the like of which you can’t imagine.
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting. One of them is hiding a secret. And Joanne is planning to reveal it. A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
This book gives truth to the saying "with friends like this who needs enemies." I found it rather odd that with the history between these women they would so willingly take off on a trip planned by the "birthday girl" that they didn't know the destination...they were made to give up their cell phones...they were led to participate in activities that they were not very good at and all this in the middle of nowhere Scotland. I really didn't like any of these ladies and liked them even less by the end of the book. So why the 4.5 stars? The plot was unique and kept the pages turning. I read more than half the book in one setting just to see what stupid thing they would do next. There were lots of surprises in the story and just when you think you have sorted out who is telling the truth another block is presented. Some of the things they allowed to happen made no sense but I had already decided that these women were not the brightest bulbs in the package. I'm going to defidently try something else by this author. I think she has a lot of promise.
January 2, 2022
Un poco flojito pero se deja leer.
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