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The Party House
The Party House by Lin Anderson is a deeply atmospheric psychological thriller set in the Scottish Highlands, for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware and Sarah Pearse’s The Sanatorium.
Devastated by a recent pandemic brought in by outsiders, the villagers of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands are outraged when they find that the nearby estate plans to reopen its luxury ‘party house’ to tourists.
As animosity sparks amongst the locals, part of the property is damaged and, in the ensuing chaos, the body of a young girl is found in the wreck. Seventeen-year-old Ailsa Cummings went missing five years ago, never to be seen again – until now.
The excavation of Ailsa’s remains ignites old suspicions cast on the men of this small community, including Greg, the estate’s gamekeeper. At the beginning of a burgeoning relationship with a new lover, Joanne, Greg is loath to discuss old wounds. Frightened by Greg’s reaction to the missing girl’s discovery, Joanne begins to doubt how well she knows this new man in her life. Then again, he’s not the only one with secrets in their volatile relationship . . .
Devastated by a recent pandemic brought in by outsiders, the villagers of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands are outraged when they find that the nearby estate plans to reopen its luxury ‘party house’ to tourists.
As animosity sparks amongst the locals, part of the property is damaged and, in the ensuing chaos, the body of a young girl is found in the wreck. Seventeen-year-old Ailsa Cummings went missing five years ago, never to be seen again – until now.
The excavation of Ailsa’s remains ignites old suspicions cast on the men of this small community, including Greg, the estate’s gamekeeper. At the beginning of a burgeoning relationship with a new lover, Joanne, Greg is loath to discuss old wounds. Frightened by Greg’s reaction to the missing girl’s discovery, Joanne begins to doubt how well she knows this new man in her life. Then again, he’s not the only one with secrets in their volatile relationship . . .
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2022
89 people are currently reading
1012 people want to read
About the author
Lin Anderson
73 books383 followersLin Anderson was born in Greenock of Scottish and Irish parents. A graduate of both Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, she has lived in many different parts of Scotland and also spent five years working in the African bush. A teacher of Mathematics and Computing, she began her writing career four years ago. Her first film, Small Love, which was broadcast on STV, was nominated for TAPS writer of the year award 2001. Her African short stories have been published in the 10th Anniversary Macallan collection and broadcast on BBC Radio Four.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
June 25, 2022
Lin Anderson takes a break from her brilliant forensic expert Dr Rhona MacLeod series to write this standalone psychological thriller set in the Scottish Highlands. Gamekeeper (Ghillie) of the Blackrig Estate, Greg Taylor is at a London conference to promote the estate where he meets Joanne Addington. The two get involved with each other, a consequence of which has Joanne, a journalist and blogger, turn up in Scotland to stay at his home, Beanach, but he is unaware that it was no accident that the two of them met and she has her own agenda. Both are people with secrets, some darker than others, although there is no doubt that there is a strong sexual attraction between the two of them. There is a torrid febrile climate of rage and anger in the village when locals hear that once again the Party House will host another group of outsiders, including the CEO of Global Investments Holdings, the owners of the Blackrig Estate, the odious and arrogant Aidan Stratton.
During the pandemic, lockdown rules were broken by outsiders, bringing with them a particularly deadly strain of the virus, arriving at the Party House, this resulted in tragic consequences for the village with the deaths of the district nurse and 5 children, including infants. No-one was charged by the police with the breaking of the rules, leaving the strong feeling the wealthy can get away with anything, whilst the dead received no justice. After a heated meeting, a group of young men wearing balaclavas make their way to the Party House in the night, vandalising the hot tub, and in the process they uncover the remains of a human body. With the arrival of the police team, led by DI Snyder, it soon becomes clear that the victim was 17 year old Ailsa Cummings who wreaked havoc amongst the men who, when she suddenly disappeared 5 years ago, all became suspects in the subsequent police inquiry. In the present, there are intensive interviews conducted by Snyder, and as forensic evidence slowly emerges, a series of arrests take place.
The horrors of Joanne's London past are to follow her to Scotland in Anderson's dark and intense storytelling, set amongst the wonderfully atmospheric Highlands location. Like a number of established crime writers who have written great crime series, the author has ventured into psychological thriller territory. I enjoyed this well written, twisty and entertaining crime read, but I am a true fan of the gritty Glasgow Rhona MacLeod series, and I love that more. This will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and crime and mystery readers who are likely to love being immersed in the Scottish Highlands location. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
During the pandemic, lockdown rules were broken by outsiders, bringing with them a particularly deadly strain of the virus, arriving at the Party House, this resulted in tragic consequences for the village with the deaths of the district nurse and 5 children, including infants. No-one was charged by the police with the breaking of the rules, leaving the strong feeling the wealthy can get away with anything, whilst the dead received no justice. After a heated meeting, a group of young men wearing balaclavas make their way to the Party House in the night, vandalising the hot tub, and in the process they uncover the remains of a human body. With the arrival of the police team, led by DI Snyder, it soon becomes clear that the victim was 17 year old Ailsa Cummings who wreaked havoc amongst the men who, when she suddenly disappeared 5 years ago, all became suspects in the subsequent police inquiry. In the present, there are intensive interviews conducted by Snyder, and as forensic evidence slowly emerges, a series of arrests take place.
The horrors of Joanne's London past are to follow her to Scotland in Anderson's dark and intense storytelling, set amongst the wonderfully atmospheric Highlands location. Like a number of established crime writers who have written great crime series, the author has ventured into psychological thriller territory. I enjoyed this well written, twisty and entertaining crime read, but I am a true fan of the gritty Glasgow Rhona MacLeod series, and I love that more. This will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and crime and mystery readers who are likely to love being immersed in the Scottish Highlands location. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
June 3, 2022
This is a one off psychological thriller by the author of the Rhona Macleod series.
3.5 rounded up
The villagers in and around the Blackrig Estate (An Druim Dubh) are incandescent with rage when they learn the owners of The Party House (Ard Choille) plan to reopen to guests. During a Covid lockdown they had broken the rules allowing several guests to stay there who brought the new variant with them resulting in six deaths, mostly of children. You can understand that feelings are running high. The night before the planned arrival a few balaclava clad men destroy a hot tub and in doing so uncover a buried body. Is this seventeen year old Ailsa who disappears five years ago? Whoever it turns out to be it resurrects suspicions and resentment and ultimately reveals secrets and a multitude of lies.
First of all, the novel oozes the atmosphere of the Scottish Highlands, enabling you to feel it’s magic and lure and this is one of strongest elements of the book. You can visualise the settings and I’m especially captivated by the ‘Fairy Glen’ which feels very evocative.
The characterisation is good though the demanding, arrogant and unpleasant occupants of the Party House are somewhat stereotypical but they do contrast sharply with the locals. There is much mistrust not just with the incomers but also between the locals. If you add in jealousy it adds up to a toxic mix and this comes across strongly in the writing.
The start is a bit clunky but then begins to flow, picking up pace and becoming immersive. It’s a bit repetitive in parts especially on the impact of the virus but it also repeats other facts too. However, the twists and turns are good and there is a considerable amount of tension. I think part of the conclusion is predictable as it kind of had to be but I do like the ultimate end.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable, chock full of atmosphere, entertaining, easy read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
3.5 rounded up
The villagers in and around the Blackrig Estate (An Druim Dubh) are incandescent with rage when they learn the owners of The Party House (Ard Choille) plan to reopen to guests. During a Covid lockdown they had broken the rules allowing several guests to stay there who brought the new variant with them resulting in six deaths, mostly of children. You can understand that feelings are running high. The night before the planned arrival a few balaclava clad men destroy a hot tub and in doing so uncover a buried body. Is this seventeen year old Ailsa who disappears five years ago? Whoever it turns out to be it resurrects suspicions and resentment and ultimately reveals secrets and a multitude of lies.
First of all, the novel oozes the atmosphere of the Scottish Highlands, enabling you to feel it’s magic and lure and this is one of strongest elements of the book. You can visualise the settings and I’m especially captivated by the ‘Fairy Glen’ which feels very evocative.
The characterisation is good though the demanding, arrogant and unpleasant occupants of the Party House are somewhat stereotypical but they do contrast sharply with the locals. There is much mistrust not just with the incomers but also between the locals. If you add in jealousy it adds up to a toxic mix and this comes across strongly in the writing.
The start is a bit clunky but then begins to flow, picking up pace and becoming immersive. It’s a bit repetitive in parts especially on the impact of the virus but it also repeats other facts too. However, the twists and turns are good and there is a considerable amount of tension. I think part of the conclusion is predictable as it kind of had to be but I do like the ultimate end.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable, chock full of atmosphere, entertaining, easy read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
November 23, 2022
Although this is based around Covid which plays a huge part within this story it was done very well.
I’ve not got any hang ups as it’s all like a nightmare isn’t it, and Covid is still here….a part from this, I liked how she built up the characters and the plot.
I listened to this while I’m sick in my bed….no, not Covid!
I’ve not got any hang ups as it’s all like a nightmare isn’t it, and Covid is still here….a part from this, I liked how she built up the characters and the plot.
I listened to this while I’m sick in my bed….no, not Covid!
December 4, 2022
What I liked:
✔️atmospheric, small, isolated town setting
✔️integration of the pandemic (so many authors have stayed away from incorporating it)
✔️conflict - the owners of the party house vs locals as well as pro vs anti lockdown/covid mindset
✔️author’s ability to evoke an emotional response
✔️suspense, intrigue and secrets
✔️twists
✔️forensic science
✔️unreliable, flawed characters
✔️web of deceit
✔️murder investigation
What I struggled with:
✔️slow start
✔️reminding myself some of the characters were youth
✔️abuse, rape and sex scenes
✔️unrealistic relationship between the groundskeeper and his girlfriend
✔️extra fluff of Joanne’s previous relationship
This was my first introduction to this author. I love psychological thrillers and I was interested in reading a book set in the pandemic and interested in the Scottish Highlands setting. The author delivered on both accounts.
I was gifted this copy by Pan Macmillan and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
✔️atmospheric, small, isolated town setting
✔️integration of the pandemic (so many authors have stayed away from incorporating it)
✔️conflict - the owners of the party house vs locals as well as pro vs anti lockdown/covid mindset
✔️author’s ability to evoke an emotional response
✔️suspense, intrigue and secrets
✔️twists
✔️forensic science
✔️unreliable, flawed characters
✔️web of deceit
✔️murder investigation
What I struggled with:
✔️slow start
✔️reminding myself some of the characters were youth
✔️abuse, rape and sex scenes
✔️unrealistic relationship between the groundskeeper and his girlfriend
✔️extra fluff of Joanne’s previous relationship
This was my first introduction to this author. I love psychological thrillers and I was interested in reading a book set in the pandemic and interested in the Scottish Highlands setting. The author delivered on both accounts.
I was gifted this copy by Pan Macmillan and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
April 23, 2023
Lin Anderson is best known for her Rhona MacLeod series. So this standalone mystery was an ideal starting point for me.
The setting was the most enjoyable aspect, with the novel taking place in the village of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands.
It's obviously interesting to see how many authors will incorporate the Covid pandemic into their plots and it makes me wonder if that was the reason why Anderson opted for a standalone this time.
The main mystery is of young Ailsa Cummings who'd disappeared five years ago.
Her body is recovered as the luxury party house is due to open now that lockdown rules have been relaxed.
The mystery itself didn't quite click with me, mainly due to the characters being unlikeable.
It was the manner in which the locals felt about the property as visitors to the location disregarding lockdown rules and brought the virus to the village and in turn led to six deaths - which included young children.
I felt the author was making a perfect parallel to those who disregard said rules, especially the government at the time with their own 'partygate' scandal whilst others complied.
The setting was the most enjoyable aspect, with the novel taking place in the village of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands.
It's obviously interesting to see how many authors will incorporate the Covid pandemic into their plots and it makes me wonder if that was the reason why Anderson opted for a standalone this time.
The main mystery is of young Ailsa Cummings who'd disappeared five years ago.
Her body is recovered as the luxury party house is due to open now that lockdown rules have been relaxed.
The mystery itself didn't quite click with me, mainly due to the characters being unlikeable.
It was the manner in which the locals felt about the property as visitors to the location disregarding lockdown rules and brought the virus to the village and in turn led to six deaths - which included young children.
I felt the author was making a perfect parallel to those who disregard said rules, especially the government at the time with their own 'partygate' scandal whilst others complied.
August 26, 2022
Ahh...... Why do keep on picking up these mystery thriller books which are just so blah? Trying to set this eerie scene with two main characters who are both hiding their secrets which slowly then are told and unravel. Even with the terrible deeds done there, abuse, rape etc, it is the style of writing and the purpose just to build tension that is just not my cup of tea at all.
February 5, 2024
3.5*
The Party House is an intriguing standalone crime-thriller-drama with an evocative setting in the Scottish Highlands.
At a function in London writer-blogger Joanne Addington meets attractive Scot Greg Taylor, who's a ghillie (gamekeeper) on a highland estate, and they begin a torrid affair. But Joanne has an ulterior motive in seducing Greg and accepting his invitation to stay at his stonebuilt cottage, Beanach, on the Blackrig estate in the western Scottish Highlands. She and Greg waste no time in renewing their highly-charged sexual attraction when she arrives in Blackrig. But while she's inspired by the stunning landscape and relieved to have left London behind, Joanne is troubled by Greg's mood swings and the evident hostility of the local shopkeeper, Caroline, who's an ex of Greg's and resents Joanne's presence in Blackrig.
Against a backdrop of community tension following the Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK, Greg is making efforts to drum up business for the plush visitor accommodation at the estate's centrepiece, modernist eco-lodge Ard Choille, known by locals as "The Party House". But the Party House has a dark recent past. In contravention of lockdown rules, a group of well-heeled guests gathered for a party at Ard Choille, bringing with them a virulent strain of Covid-19 that ultimately spread and killed the local nurse and five young children in the village of Blackrig. Given that the illegal interlopers received no consequences for their actions, the villagers are understandably angry at the news that the house is about to be re-opened to another group of paying guests. Greg and his colleague Colin, a junior gamekeeper on the estate, find themselves having to balance their sympathy with their local neighbours and ambivalence for the arrogant visitors with the drive to maintain their own livelihoods as employees of the estate. In addition to this, Greg bears a weight of complicit guilt, as he also attended one of the drunken parties at Ard Choille during lockdown.
On the eve of the visitors' arrival, a band of angry local youths trespass onto the grounds of Ard Choille and cause property damage. A spa pool is smashed and its supporting slabs destroyed, unexpectedly revealing human remains buried beneath. The body is soon identified as that of Ailsa Cummings, a sexually precocious local 17-year-old who disappeared five years previously. The discovery sends the village of Blackrig into a frenzy of speculation and apprehension, and significantly increases the tension Joanne perceives in Greg. The dual-narrative structure allows us to see the developing drama from both sides before either character becomes aware of exactly what the other is hiding. Why did Greg delay reporting the discovery of Ailsa's body? What is he hiding about the events of her last night alive? What is Joanne working on that she doesn't want Greg to see? What knowledge is Caroline holding over Greg in providing his alibi for the night of Ailsa's disappearance?
There was certainly a lot going on in this twisty and multi-layered mystery. Most of the characters seemed to be hiding some secret knowledge or suspicion from others. The use of the dual-narrative structure enables author Lin Anderson to maintain the tension between the two main characters, with both hiding secrets of their own. At times I felt this tension became laboured, and I just wanted the story to move along. I was also perplexed that the balance of moral ambiguity around motivations and past behaviour was quite uneven, with one character's actions far more reprehensible than the other's. For this reason, I found the eventual resolution of the mystery and the epilogue somewhat less satisfying than I expect it was intended to be.
That said, the setting for the novel was superlative, with Lin Anderson's descriptions of the Highland surroundings leaping off the page. Readers' visualisation of Joanne's surroundings as she explores Blackrig village and estate are enhanced by the inclusion at the start of the book of a map by prolific author-illustrator Hemesh Alles. I found the sub-plot surrounding a wildfire on the estate - providing a brief hiatus from the main mystery narrative - more compelling and believable than other parts of the story.
While The Party House is a standalone book, the opening chapter of Driftnet, the first in Lin Anderson's popular series featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod, is included at the end of the book. I found this excerpt quite intriguing, and hope to read this series before too long.
The Party House is an intriguing standalone crime-thriller-drama with an evocative setting in the Scottish Highlands.
At a function in London writer-blogger Joanne Addington meets attractive Scot Greg Taylor, who's a ghillie (gamekeeper) on a highland estate, and they begin a torrid affair. But Joanne has an ulterior motive in seducing Greg and accepting his invitation to stay at his stonebuilt cottage, Beanach, on the Blackrig estate in the western Scottish Highlands. She and Greg waste no time in renewing their highly-charged sexual attraction when she arrives in Blackrig. But while she's inspired by the stunning landscape and relieved to have left London behind, Joanne is troubled by Greg's mood swings and the evident hostility of the local shopkeeper, Caroline, who's an ex of Greg's and resents Joanne's presence in Blackrig.
Against a backdrop of community tension following the Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK, Greg is making efforts to drum up business for the plush visitor accommodation at the estate's centrepiece, modernist eco-lodge Ard Choille, known by locals as "The Party House". But the Party House has a dark recent past. In contravention of lockdown rules, a group of well-heeled guests gathered for a party at Ard Choille, bringing with them a virulent strain of Covid-19 that ultimately spread and killed the local nurse and five young children in the village of Blackrig. Given that the illegal interlopers received no consequences for their actions, the villagers are understandably angry at the news that the house is about to be re-opened to another group of paying guests. Greg and his colleague Colin, a junior gamekeeper on the estate, find themselves having to balance their sympathy with their local neighbours and ambivalence for the arrogant visitors with the drive to maintain their own livelihoods as employees of the estate. In addition to this, Greg bears a weight of complicit guilt, as he also attended one of the drunken parties at Ard Choille during lockdown.
On the eve of the visitors' arrival, a band of angry local youths trespass onto the grounds of Ard Choille and cause property damage. A spa pool is smashed and its supporting slabs destroyed, unexpectedly revealing human remains buried beneath. The body is soon identified as that of Ailsa Cummings, a sexually precocious local 17-year-old who disappeared five years previously. The discovery sends the village of Blackrig into a frenzy of speculation and apprehension, and significantly increases the tension Joanne perceives in Greg. The dual-narrative structure allows us to see the developing drama from both sides before either character becomes aware of exactly what the other is hiding. Why did Greg delay reporting the discovery of Ailsa's body? What is he hiding about the events of her last night alive? What is Joanne working on that she doesn't want Greg to see? What knowledge is Caroline holding over Greg in providing his alibi for the night of Ailsa's disappearance?
There was certainly a lot going on in this twisty and multi-layered mystery. Most of the characters seemed to be hiding some secret knowledge or suspicion from others. The use of the dual-narrative structure enables author Lin Anderson to maintain the tension between the two main characters, with both hiding secrets of their own. At times I felt this tension became laboured, and I just wanted the story to move along. I was also perplexed that the balance of moral ambiguity around motivations and past behaviour was quite uneven, with one character's actions far more reprehensible than the other's. For this reason, I found the eventual resolution of the mystery and the epilogue somewhat less satisfying than I expect it was intended to be.
That said, the setting for the novel was superlative, with Lin Anderson's descriptions of the Highland surroundings leaping off the page. Readers' visualisation of Joanne's surroundings as she explores Blackrig village and estate are enhanced by the inclusion at the start of the book of a map by prolific author-illustrator Hemesh Alles. I found the sub-plot surrounding a wildfire on the estate - providing a brief hiatus from the main mystery narrative - more compelling and believable than other parts of the story.
While The Party House is a standalone book, the opening chapter of Driftnet, the first in Lin Anderson's popular series featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod, is included at the end of the book. I found this excerpt quite intriguing, and hope to read this series before too long.
October 7, 2022
This is a good book that packs a lot into its pages. The best are the descriptions of the Scottish Highlands and the writing. I could hear the Scottish accent as I read this book! The mystery itself, while good, wasn’t what moved the story. The two main characters and their fears of their past coming back to bite them fueled it. I do wish the mystery was more prominent in this story in the sense that we saw more of an investigation standpoint. It’s a 3.5 for me
March 13, 2023
Sorry but poorly written, so much of it was repeated. Boring characters, extremely predictable and i had to Painfully force myself to finish the last 200 pages
April 10, 2023
Oh wow, I took a chance on this Scottish Book of the Month but did not like it at all: 1.5
Greg and Joanne are ridiculous. The “relationship” is contrived and inauthentic from go. There’s far too much gratuitous sex at the beginning and neither characters are developed enough for me to care about them at all. So, as a result, what we get is chapters and chapters of the pair of them rutting like deer and putting me off my lunch.
Greg carried major incel vibes with this inner commentary on “females” and his sex-obsessed outlook. His only personality trait seemed to be “randy” and, quite frankly, he was gross. I also got the impression that he was like, sixty, and was surprised that he was actually thirty?!
Joanne was non-descript and boring. Caroline was a caricature (and I had her figured out far too early on).
The storyline was flimsy as hell too:
- Joanne randomly deciding to go to rural Scotland with some dude she just met, because “sex”
- All the villagers lying and covering for each other
- The villainization of Ailsa put a damper on the mystery of her death and made me ambivalent to its resolution
- How the police fucked up the original investigation of Ailsa’s disappearance
- Greg tormenting himself over spreading the virus (Greg was selfish and this didn’t seem plausible)
- How everyone, bar Caroline, was pro-Joanne
- Why were all these women obsessed with Greg? He was so boring and creepy
The pace was glacial and the whole story felt claustrophobic (but not in an intentional way). There was far too much padding in this book and because we had such a limited cast of characters, the ending was too easy to figure out to sit through all the faff. Not a lot of time seemed to pass between the Greg/Joanne thing which made the baby, insta-love, and ending totally naff. The domestic violence element felt shoehorned in like an afterthought. I think it was supposed to make us feel badly for Joanne but it didn’t feel plausible either and, let’s be honest, she could’ve handled it a bit better (like, I don’t know, LEAVING THE AREA WHEN YOU REALIZED YOUR PARTNER’S MATE WAS NEXT DOOR? But no, she waited to get caught. Ugh.)
So yeah, I kinda hated this?
Greg and Joanne are ridiculous. The “relationship” is contrived and inauthentic from go. There’s far too much gratuitous sex at the beginning and neither characters are developed enough for me to care about them at all. So, as a result, what we get is chapters and chapters of the pair of them rutting like deer and putting me off my lunch.
Greg carried major incel vibes with this inner commentary on “females” and his sex-obsessed outlook. His only personality trait seemed to be “randy” and, quite frankly, he was gross. I also got the impression that he was like, sixty, and was surprised that he was actually thirty?!
Joanne was non-descript and boring. Caroline was a caricature (and I had her figured out far too early on).
The storyline was flimsy as hell too:
- Joanne randomly deciding to go to rural Scotland with some dude she just met, because “sex”
- All the villagers lying and covering for each other
- The villainization of Ailsa put a damper on the mystery of her death and made me ambivalent to its resolution
- How the police fucked up the original investigation of Ailsa’s disappearance
- Greg tormenting himself over spreading the virus (Greg was selfish and this didn’t seem plausible)
- How everyone, bar Caroline, was pro-Joanne
- Why were all these women obsessed with Greg? He was so boring and creepy
The pace was glacial and the whole story felt claustrophobic (but not in an intentional way). There was far too much padding in this book and because we had such a limited cast of characters, the ending was too easy to figure out to sit through all the faff. Not a lot of time seemed to pass between the Greg/Joanne thing which made the baby, insta-love, and ending totally naff. The domestic violence element felt shoehorned in like an afterthought. I think it was supposed to make us feel badly for Joanne but it didn’t feel plausible either and, let’s be honest, she could’ve handled it a bit better (like, I don’t know, LEAVING THE AREA WHEN YOU REALIZED YOUR PARTNER’S MATE WAS NEXT DOOR? But no, she waited to get caught. Ugh.)
So yeah, I kinda hated this?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2023
Dark, suspenseful, and unnerving!
The Party House is an engrossing, ominous tale that transports you to Scotland post-pandemic and into the lives of the Blackrig villagers, especially estate gamekeeper Greg, as they juggle with their feelings for the reopening of the posh, local estate where parties were always wild, rules were flounted, COVID was transmitted killing six of their own treasured souls, and where it now also seems to be the burial site for the body of a missing teen.
The prose is tight and intense. The characters are wary, secretive, and troubled. And the plot, told from alternating perspectives, unravels quickly into a gripping tale full of twists, turns, shocking revelations, lies, deception, indulgence, depravity, jealousy, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Party House is a sinister, entertaining, intense stand-alone thriller by Anderson that does a wonderful job of combining the isolating atmosphere of The Scottish Highlands with unsavoury characters, poor choices, and eerie motivations.
Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Party House is an engrossing, ominous tale that transports you to Scotland post-pandemic and into the lives of the Blackrig villagers, especially estate gamekeeper Greg, as they juggle with their feelings for the reopening of the posh, local estate where parties were always wild, rules were flounted, COVID was transmitted killing six of their own treasured souls, and where it now also seems to be the burial site for the body of a missing teen.
The prose is tight and intense. The characters are wary, secretive, and troubled. And the plot, told from alternating perspectives, unravels quickly into a gripping tale full of twists, turns, shocking revelations, lies, deception, indulgence, depravity, jealousy, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Party House is a sinister, entertaining, intense stand-alone thriller by Anderson that does a wonderful job of combining the isolating atmosphere of The Scottish Highlands with unsavoury characters, poor choices, and eerie motivations.
Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2022
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I found this a throughly unpleasant read, peopled with unpleasant characters who lied to one another constantly. The premise of the book relied on a strain of 'the virus' (which I am not aware ever existed in real life) having killed one adult and five children/babies in a remote Scottish community. I have got to the point where I can cope with references to Covid in fiction, but this was a sort of pseudo-Covid in the present day and the basic fact of the 'outsiders' having intentionally infected the village was repeated every few pages and added to the general unpleasantness. There was also more emphasis than I felt was strictly necessary on Greg and Joanne's sex life.
I have enjoyed this author's police procedurals in the past, but this didn't work for me.
I found this a throughly unpleasant read, peopled with unpleasant characters who lied to one another constantly. The premise of the book relied on a strain of 'the virus' (which I am not aware ever existed in real life) having killed one adult and five children/babies in a remote Scottish community. I have got to the point where I can cope with references to Covid in fiction, but this was a sort of pseudo-Covid in the present day and the basic fact of the 'outsiders' having intentionally infected the village was repeated every few pages and added to the general unpleasantness. There was also more emphasis than I felt was strictly necessary on Greg and Joanne's sex life.
I have enjoyed this author's police procedurals in the past, but this didn't work for me.
August 9, 2022
I tried but couldn't get into this book.
January 5, 2023
Poignant
March 24, 2023
I found this book to be written like a journal which made the story very boring
June 26, 2023
3.75⭐
August 9, 2022
I love reading books set in the Scottish Highlands so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read this atmospheric and twisty standalone thriller as part of the Random Things blog tour.
The setting for this novel lent itself perfectly to the atmosphere and drama surrounding the Highland village of Blackrig. The local estate plans to re-open it's luxury "party house" to visitors and the villagers are up in arms about it - they blame the last guests who stayed there for bringing the covid virus into the community when they broke the lockdown rules. The outbreak that ensued left the community nurse and 5 local children dead after they contracted the virus. Then the discovery of 17 year old Ailsa’s body on the estate 5 years after she went missing provides the catalyst for explosive repercussions – who killed her and why? Everyone is under suspicion.
As the story unfolds the web of lies gets bigger and bigger – everyone seems to be hiding their own secrets. There are some instantly dislikeable characters and it is almost impossible to know who can be trusted.
The plot is liberally spread with lies and omissions, it’s wrapped in a thick layer of ulterior motive and topped with a walloping great big dollop of deceit – all perfectly measured ingredients for a book you’re really going to want to get your teeth into! If you like books that are full of intrigue, suspense and mystery that will keep you turning the pages then you are not going to want to miss out on this one!
The setting for this novel lent itself perfectly to the atmosphere and drama surrounding the Highland village of Blackrig. The local estate plans to re-open it's luxury "party house" to visitors and the villagers are up in arms about it - they blame the last guests who stayed there for bringing the covid virus into the community when they broke the lockdown rules. The outbreak that ensued left the community nurse and 5 local children dead after they contracted the virus. Then the discovery of 17 year old Ailsa’s body on the estate 5 years after she went missing provides the catalyst for explosive repercussions – who killed her and why? Everyone is under suspicion.
As the story unfolds the web of lies gets bigger and bigger – everyone seems to be hiding their own secrets. There are some instantly dislikeable characters and it is almost impossible to know who can be trusted.
The plot is liberally spread with lies and omissions, it’s wrapped in a thick layer of ulterior motive and topped with a walloping great big dollop of deceit – all perfectly measured ingredients for a book you’re really going to want to get your teeth into! If you like books that are full of intrigue, suspense and mystery that will keep you turning the pages then you are not going to want to miss out on this one!
May 5, 2023
I love her Rhona series and this fell flat for me. Predictable plot, read it quickly and was hoping for more. Do try some of the Rhona MacLeod series as they gave me very detailed, colourful dreams.
August 11, 2022
I’m a huge fan of Lin Anderson’s series featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read her first stand-alone novel, The Party House.
This is a super involving read and I was glued to this book for the best part of two days. Ghillie of the Greg Taylor is in London to promote the re-opening of the Blackrig Estate now owned by Global Investments Holdings. He’s there with very mixed feelings. He wants to keep his job in one of the most beautiful parts of the Highlands where wildlife flourishes and the landscape is fantastic. But, at the same time, re-opening the estate means bringing sore wounds, which have not had time to heal, right up to the surface where they may lie open and festering.
For Blackrig is home to The Party House, a big modern house equipped with every luxury and used by Global Investments for tourists and shooting parties as the main source of income for the estate. It was different when the old Laird, Main owned the estate. Then he had wanted to focus on developing the woodlands as a site of natural beauty. But then he died and the estate was sold on.
Now the villagers have come to hate Ard Choille, or the Party House as it is known to all. Because during lockdown a party of tourists came to the Party House bringing with them a deadly virus and soon after CoVid raged through the village, killing 5 children and the District Nurse.
Now resentment simmers, barely under the surface, and the locals are very clear that it is far too soon to re-open the Party House but the deeply arrogant and repugnant Aidan Stratton who looks after the Party House is adamant that this activity must resume now that lockdown restrictions are over.
So Greg is reluctantly in London attending a Game Fair to help attract new custom and that’s where he meets journalist and blogger Joanne Addington. The pair hit it off and soon Joanne is turning up at Blackrig to take up Colin’s offer to stay at Beanach, his cottage home.
Both Joanne and Greg are keeping secrets from each other; secrets that threaten to destroy an emerging relationship. They’re not the only ones. This is a village with many secrets and it is holding them all close.
When a body is found under the recently vandalised hot tub of The Party House, there’s no doubt in Greg’s mind that it is Ailsa Cummings, a 17 year old young woman who disappeared from Blackrig village some 5 years earlier.
A police investigation led by DI Snyder leads police to a number of suspects and harks back to a time when the Party House was in full on excess mode. As a number of villagers come under scrutiny, things are looking black for Greg and for his relationship with Joanne
Lin Anderson creates a fantastic picture of life in a beautiful area of Scotland with a close knit village community where everyone knows the business of their neighbours and doors are seldom locked. The scenery is vivid and gorgeous and the village itself has that vivid sense of marrying tradition with contemporary values and the clash of cultures that can bring.
The sense of anger over Covid rule breaking feels very real and raw as does the Global corporation’s hold over local employment and the resulting resentment that brings. Lin Anderson reveals and exploits these divisions in a novel that is suspenseful, twisty and compelling.
Verdict: The Party House has tension, pace and interesting characters. It is a psychological thriller with many secrets simmering in a fabulously idyllic Highland setting. Though it’s not too much hard work to work out who the murderer is, there is more than one villain here on which to focus one’s thoughts as neighbour starts to turn on neighbour in this suspenseful thriller. A most enjoyable read.
This is a super involving read and I was glued to this book for the best part of two days. Ghillie of the Greg Taylor is in London to promote the re-opening of the Blackrig Estate now owned by Global Investments Holdings. He’s there with very mixed feelings. He wants to keep his job in one of the most beautiful parts of the Highlands where wildlife flourishes and the landscape is fantastic. But, at the same time, re-opening the estate means bringing sore wounds, which have not had time to heal, right up to the surface where they may lie open and festering.
For Blackrig is home to The Party House, a big modern house equipped with every luxury and used by Global Investments for tourists and shooting parties as the main source of income for the estate. It was different when the old Laird, Main owned the estate. Then he had wanted to focus on developing the woodlands as a site of natural beauty. But then he died and the estate was sold on.
Now the villagers have come to hate Ard Choille, or the Party House as it is known to all. Because during lockdown a party of tourists came to the Party House bringing with them a deadly virus and soon after CoVid raged through the village, killing 5 children and the District Nurse.
Now resentment simmers, barely under the surface, and the locals are very clear that it is far too soon to re-open the Party House but the deeply arrogant and repugnant Aidan Stratton who looks after the Party House is adamant that this activity must resume now that lockdown restrictions are over.
So Greg is reluctantly in London attending a Game Fair to help attract new custom and that’s where he meets journalist and blogger Joanne Addington. The pair hit it off and soon Joanne is turning up at Blackrig to take up Colin’s offer to stay at Beanach, his cottage home.
Both Joanne and Greg are keeping secrets from each other; secrets that threaten to destroy an emerging relationship. They’re not the only ones. This is a village with many secrets and it is holding them all close.
When a body is found under the recently vandalised hot tub of The Party House, there’s no doubt in Greg’s mind that it is Ailsa Cummings, a 17 year old young woman who disappeared from Blackrig village some 5 years earlier.
A police investigation led by DI Snyder leads police to a number of suspects and harks back to a time when the Party House was in full on excess mode. As a number of villagers come under scrutiny, things are looking black for Greg and for his relationship with Joanne
Lin Anderson creates a fantastic picture of life in a beautiful area of Scotland with a close knit village community where everyone knows the business of their neighbours and doors are seldom locked. The scenery is vivid and gorgeous and the village itself has that vivid sense of marrying tradition with contemporary values and the clash of cultures that can bring.
The sense of anger over Covid rule breaking feels very real and raw as does the Global corporation’s hold over local employment and the resulting resentment that brings. Lin Anderson reveals and exploits these divisions in a novel that is suspenseful, twisty and compelling.
Verdict: The Party House has tension, pace and interesting characters. It is a psychological thriller with many secrets simmering in a fabulously idyllic Highland setting. Though it’s not too much hard work to work out who the murderer is, there is more than one villain here on which to focus one’s thoughts as neighbour starts to turn on neighbour in this suspenseful thriller. A most enjoyable read.
August 8, 2022
My first experience of the author, Lin Anderson’s THE PARTY HOUSE is very much a psychological thriller. The novel begins with the disappearance of Ailsa Cummings, a seventeen-year-old who vanishes from the woods surrounding the village of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands, presumed by many to have run away, perhaps back to her former home in Glasgow. Five years later, the village is slowly recovering from the devastation caused by the deaths of five children and a district nurse, their deaths due to a Covid 19 variant introduced by lockdown breaking visitors to the eponymous Party House, owned by an investment company. Post-lockdown, the return of outside guests to the resort causes some in the village to take their anger out by destroying a hot-tum on the property, inadvertently exposing the remains of Ailsa, her body buried below its base.
The story is told, in the third person, by Greg Taylor, the head gamekeeper at the estate, and his new girlfriend, Joanne Addington, newly arrived from London. Greg and Joanne have only recently met, he a little taken aback by her acceptance of his invitation to come to Blackrig. Both, it quickly becomes clear, have something to hide, Greg feeling guilty for what he sees as his part in introducing the virus into the village, Joanne hiding from something, or someone, back in London. But do either, or both, of them have deeper secrets to hide?
Lin Anderson draws very realistic relatable characters. Both main characters are flawed, are hiding things from each other. The newness of their relationship and their, understandable though frustrating, reluctance to share their thoughts, leads to tension between them. The arrival of Greg’s egotistic boss and of the police investigating Ailsa’s death intensifies the tension. Greg, with all of the men who were in the village when Ailsa disappeared, is once again under suspicion. His tendency to lose his temper makes Joanne question the speed in which they became entangled, as does Greg’s ex’s obvious dislike of her.
The book is very evocative of the highlands near Inverness. Lin Anderson perfectly captures the uniqueness of remote communities and the wariness towards outsiders. THE PARTY HOUSE is one of the first novels I have read to describe the devastating impact of Covid 19, the effects continuing even as the village emerges from lockdown measures. The book is thrilling, the tension slowly building to a stunning conclusion. I enjoyed it tremendously and look forward to exploring the author’s Scotland set Rhona MacCloud series of crime novels.
The story is told, in the third person, by Greg Taylor, the head gamekeeper at the estate, and his new girlfriend, Joanne Addington, newly arrived from London. Greg and Joanne have only recently met, he a little taken aback by her acceptance of his invitation to come to Blackrig. Both, it quickly becomes clear, have something to hide, Greg feeling guilty for what he sees as his part in introducing the virus into the village, Joanne hiding from something, or someone, back in London. But do either, or both, of them have deeper secrets to hide?
Lin Anderson draws very realistic relatable characters. Both main characters are flawed, are hiding things from each other. The newness of their relationship and their, understandable though frustrating, reluctance to share their thoughts, leads to tension between them. The arrival of Greg’s egotistic boss and of the police investigating Ailsa’s death intensifies the tension. Greg, with all of the men who were in the village when Ailsa disappeared, is once again under suspicion. His tendency to lose his temper makes Joanne question the speed in which they became entangled, as does Greg’s ex’s obvious dislike of her.
The book is very evocative of the highlands near Inverness. Lin Anderson perfectly captures the uniqueness of remote communities and the wariness towards outsiders. THE PARTY HOUSE is one of the first novels I have read to describe the devastating impact of Covid 19, the effects continuing even as the village emerges from lockdown measures. The book is thrilling, the tension slowly building to a stunning conclusion. I enjoyed it tremendously and look forward to exploring the author’s Scotland set Rhona MacCloud series of crime novels.
June 19, 2023
Laborious
The relationships in this novel were far-fetched at best and just pure fantastical at worst. I didn’t ever feel any real chemistry between any of the characters and thought the ending a massive anti-climax. I would have like to know if they ended up together properly? Did she stay in Scotland? Whose was the baby?! All just a bit pie in the sky and not enough to get me really invested in the storyline at all. Bit disappointed as, from the blurb, it sounded as though it would be right up my street.
The relationships in this novel were far-fetched at best and just pure fantastical at worst. I didn’t ever feel any real chemistry between any of the characters and thought the ending a massive anti-climax. I would have like to know if they ended up together properly? Did she stay in Scotland? Whose was the baby?! All just a bit pie in the sky and not enough to get me really invested in the storyline at all. Bit disappointed as, from the blurb, it sounded as though it would be right up my street.
October 14, 2022
Definitely not a page turner! Such a tedious, long-winded book. Both of the main characters, Greg and Joanne, continually jumped to ridiculous and irrational conclusions which made for very tiresome reading. The background storyline between Joanne and her ex felt unneeded and seemed to be used to bulk the boring storyline out.
October 21, 2023
Hated the constant references to COVID and it was another story set in Scotland which makes it sound like Scottish people live in the 1900s and walk about in kilts all of the time. The ‘secrets’ that the plot kept hinting at were totally underwhelming.
September 23, 2023
Unreadable. Includes lines like: ‘but fantasies were just that - fantasies - and not real life’. No atmosphere, no sense of character. Terrible, terrible writing.
August 10, 2022
‘The Party House’ is the first standalone from the author of the acclaimed Dr MacLeod series, of which I am a huge fan! This is a psychological thriller set in the Highlands of Scotland just after a wide sweeping pandemic. It was captivating from the start and I devoured it in one sitting! It was extremely well written with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing right up until the end.
The village of Blackrig has been devastated by the recent pandemic and the locals are outraged when the large estate house announces it is once again open for business. This stirs up a lot of tension in the locals as they blame the owners of the house for the six deaths that the village suffered from. As the anger builds some of the locals ended up willfully damaging party of the property but whilst doing so they uncover the body of 17-year-old Ailsa Cummings who went missing five years ago. Old tensions boil to the surface and questions are asked of all the males in the village, including Greg the head game keeper who has just embarked on a new relationship with Joanna. Greg refuses to talk to Joanne about Ailsa and as his anger increases Joanna starts to think there is more to his denials than he is saying... But then Joanna has secrets of her own!
This was an engrossing and entertaining read which has me gripped from start to finish. Although I guessed some parts of the story it was a well-crafted and solid narrative that built upon the intrigue from the get-go. Lin’s description of the Highlands was sublime and made me want to return up to Aviemore even though I was only there last year. Also if this house was based on a real-life example please let me know as it sounds like a slice of heaven! Lin managed to capture the essence of the landscape, the close-knit communities and the battle between locals owning the land instead of large corporations. Was it just me or was Colin based on Duncan from Monarch of the Glen?! I quite liked Greg as a character even though we all knew there were grey areas in his history. The narrative managed to layer on lies and omissions, ulterior motives and red herrings till you started to question everything you were reading. This was a page-turner for sure!
Let me know if you read this one!
The village of Blackrig has been devastated by the recent pandemic and the locals are outraged when the large estate house announces it is once again open for business. This stirs up a lot of tension in the locals as they blame the owners of the house for the six deaths that the village suffered from. As the anger builds some of the locals ended up willfully damaging party of the property but whilst doing so they uncover the body of 17-year-old Ailsa Cummings who went missing five years ago. Old tensions boil to the surface and questions are asked of all the males in the village, including Greg the head game keeper who has just embarked on a new relationship with Joanna. Greg refuses to talk to Joanne about Ailsa and as his anger increases Joanna starts to think there is more to his denials than he is saying... But then Joanna has secrets of her own!
This was an engrossing and entertaining read which has me gripped from start to finish. Although I guessed some parts of the story it was a well-crafted and solid narrative that built upon the intrigue from the get-go. Lin’s description of the Highlands was sublime and made me want to return up to Aviemore even though I was only there last year. Also if this house was based on a real-life example please let me know as it sounds like a slice of heaven! Lin managed to capture the essence of the landscape, the close-knit communities and the battle between locals owning the land instead of large corporations. Was it just me or was Colin based on Duncan from Monarch of the Glen?! I quite liked Greg as a character even though we all knew there were grey areas in his history. The narrative managed to layer on lies and omissions, ulterior motives and red herrings till you started to question everything you were reading. This was a page-turner for sure!
Let me know if you read this one!
March 27, 2024
3 stars.
A well-constructed mystery with the discovery of the body of a young girl, thought to have gone missing five years ago, amidst the spooky setting of a remote Scottish highland village where Londoner Joanne is hiding from her own life. I listened to this on audio and I thought it the use of two narrators was a nice touch, including one with a very strong Scottish accent (that I struggled to get used to initially, having to listen on 0.75x for a bit - and I almost never listen at even 1x, always a little faster) that added to the atmosphere. I liked how essentially there were 3 stories - of Ailse, Greg and Joanne - which are gradually unravelled during the course of the book. It incorporates scenes like which added a touch of reality and really made me feel as though I was in a woody highlands.
It could have been far shorter though, simply by being less repetitive. The situation of the tourists bringing COVID to the village when they visited against lockdown rules is mentioned tens of times during the course of the book, as is the fact that . I wouldn't have minded as much if we were given more details about these events each time they were mentioned, which did happen the first few times, but then after that it felt as though the author felt readers had a properly poor memory and needed to be reminded of the setting and the situation in every other chapter.
I also thought this created a sense of a "circle of dread" where . This itself is fine for a book vibe, and in a way it did suit the spookiness that Blackrig portrayed, but .
A well-constructed mystery with the discovery of the body of a young girl, thought to have gone missing five years ago, amidst the spooky setting of a remote Scottish highland village where Londoner Joanne is hiding from her own life. I listened to this on audio and I thought it the use of two narrators was a nice touch, including one with a very strong Scottish accent (that I struggled to get used to initially, having to listen on 0.75x for a bit - and I almost never listen at even 1x, always a little faster) that added to the atmosphere. I liked how essentially there were 3 stories - of Ailse, Greg and Joanne - which are gradually unravelled during the course of the book. It incorporates scenes like which added a touch of reality and really made me feel as though I was in a woody highlands.
It could have been far shorter though, simply by being less repetitive. The situation of the tourists bringing COVID to the village when they visited against lockdown rules is mentioned tens of times during the course of the book, as is the fact that . I wouldn't have minded as much if we were given more details about these events each time they were mentioned, which did happen the first few times, but then after that it felt as though the author felt readers had a properly poor memory and needed to be reminded of the setting and the situation in every other chapter.
I also thought this created a sense of a "circle of dread" where . This itself is fine for a book vibe, and in a way it did suit the spookiness that Blackrig portrayed, but .
December 19, 2022
As a huge fan of this author’s series featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod, I was keen to try The Party House, a standalone thriller set in the Scottish highlands. The book opens with a flashback to when seventeen-year-old Ailsa was last seen alive. Five years on and the mystery of her disappearance has never been solved. The locals are angry that the Blackrig estate plan to reopen ‘the party house’ as their disregard for lockdown rules led to six deaths in the village. Some of the young men in the village set out to vent their anger, but get more than they bargain for when they uncover the body of a young woman. Has Ailsa been found at last and, if it is her, how did she die?
Lin Anderson paints an authentic picture of life on an isolated estate in the Scottish highlands – contrasting the beautiful scenery, and peace and quiet of the woodlands, with the mistrust of strangers, everyone knowing each other’s business, and the dislike of the estate being owned by an investment company and used as a playground for the rich.
The characters are well drawn and believable, though none are particularly likeable. The relationship between Greg and Joanne is not entirely convincing to me, as they are hiding so much from each other, but when their secrets are disclosed their behaviour is at least understandable. It is fairly obvious that they did not meet by accident – the question is why? As the police investigation continues, old wounds are opened up as everyone is once again under suspicion. I found The Party House to be an extremely enjoyable tense and atmospheric thriller, and look forward to the next in the Rhona MacLeod series. Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
Lin Anderson paints an authentic picture of life on an isolated estate in the Scottish highlands – contrasting the beautiful scenery, and peace and quiet of the woodlands, with the mistrust of strangers, everyone knowing each other’s business, and the dislike of the estate being owned by an investment company and used as a playground for the rich.
The characters are well drawn and believable, though none are particularly likeable. The relationship between Greg and Joanne is not entirely convincing to me, as they are hiding so much from each other, but when their secrets are disclosed their behaviour is at least understandable. It is fairly obvious that they did not meet by accident – the question is why? As the police investigation continues, old wounds are opened up as everyone is once again under suspicion. I found The Party House to be an extremely enjoyable tense and atmospheric thriller, and look forward to the next in the Rhona MacLeod series. Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
June 3, 2023
My first book by this author. Quite enjoyed it and will keep an eye out for more of her titles. A mystery set in a small community in the Scottish Highlands. Some twists and turns and drama along the way.
March 9, 2024
I’m not sure why this fell flat for me, I did like the idea of the plot but didn’t like the way it was executed. The characters weren’t really interesting enough for me to be attached too and I thought it was pretty slow paced and in some parts very boring and repetitive.
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