I enjoy Swedish thrillers and Happy New Year was a great one! As you may have guessed, events are triggered on NYE when Jennifer goes missing. She is the teenage daughter of one of the two lead families and we learn how their lives are intertwined, as well as events that happened in the past.

The slower pace adds to the tension and the reveals happen at just the right moments for maximum impact.

An atmospheric read that kept me gripped.

Wow, what a fabulous read! This is the author's debut adult novel, but I would never have guessed.

Where to start. Two families are seeing in the New Year at a house party, while their two teenage daughters are at another house, celebrating without adults for the first time. Next morning, one of the teenagers, Jennifer, is discovered missing. As the families desperately try to search for her and hold on to hope that she is safe, long buried secrets are bubbling beneath the surface threatening to destroy everything.

I loved the way this book was written and the characterisation and interplay between the families rang very true. Each character's shock and fear was palpable, I felt every emotion along with them! The story and how it was portrayed reminded me of T M Logan's writing style, another amazing author. The darkness beneath this tale was constantly lurking and I read long into the night to find out what had happened.

A highly recommended dark psychological thriller full of atmospheric suspense. I am eagerly awaiting Malin Stehn's next book.

Thanks to the author Malin Stehn, publishers Michael Joseph Penguin Random House and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Although quite well written I found this story to be very slow to get going - I was 20% in before anything seemed to happen. Rather than a thriller or police investigation it was more about relationships between family and people who have known each other for many years. Most of the characters are unlikeable, selfish and self-centred. The parents do not seem to have their children's best interests at heart. Their sympathy is only for themselves.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Malin Stehn/Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I never repeat the blurb. Took me a while to get into this one as it first seemed a little disjointed due to multiple narrators, but I ended up engrossed and really pleased that I persisted. Good stuff.

It's an atmospheric family drama with well-developed psychological suspense that immerses the reader in the characters' lives and keeps you reading to see what happens next. Believably flawed complex characters make this compelling; many have unlikeable personality traits. Despite this, the reader wants to know their motivations, what they did and what happens to them.

The story's setting and timing are vital to psychological suspense, and the author uses these well.

I like the believable familial and friendship dynamics, the character developments and the surprising twists in this story.

I'm grateful to have been approved to read Happy New Year but sadly it wasn't a book for me. I found that it was very slow and the characters weren't very distinctive or real to me. It just all felt a little flat, even the New Year party didn't pop like a party should. I also found it predictable and was disappointed with that.

Two families celebrate new year together, allowing the teenagers to host their own. Little did they know that their lives would change forever. Both families have things to hide and the story is told from their point of view.of the adults. A twisty read that is driven with guilt and blame.

It's New Year's Eve and Fredrik, his wife, Nina and their two sons are attending a party at their friends Lolla and Max. They have left their daughter, Smilla, at home where she is having a party. One of the guests is Lollo and Max's daughter, Jennifer. The following morning Lollo discovers that Jennifer hasn't come home.

The narrative is shared between the adult characters and the dynamics between them are very well drawn. As the search for Jennifer progresses the reader gets to experience the tensions and splits in their relationships.

This is a clever and tense read with a few smart surprises. I found it compelling and intriguing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In 2018 Fredrik, his wife Nina and two of their sons attend a New Year Eve party at their friends house, Lollo and Max.
When their seventeen year old daughter Smilla asks to host a party for Jennifer Max's and Lollo daughter they reluctantly agree.
By the following morning they know something isn't right and soon realize that they daughter is missing.
This is very much a character driven novel where it is set from the perspective of all the mainstream characters.
The author has written them extremely well and really gets into the mindset of everyone involved.

It's New Year's Eve and the Wiksells and Anderssons - old friends from forever - are celebrating with other friends. It's adults only with a few of the younger children banished upstairs. The older children - 17 year old Jennifer and Smilla have managed to persuade their parents to let them have their own party at Smilla's house. Long story short, next day, no one can find Jennifer. She didn't stay over and she never made it home. The police are called...
And so begins a character led story mainly concerning the four adults - Fredrik, Nina, Max and Lolo - and the secrets and lies that surround them, and how they each individually and together react to the disappearance of Jennifer. Some being more connected / invested than others!
All four of our main characters are completely different. It's a wonder how they have remained friends/married for so long, the differences being quite fundamental to each character. But I guess opposites attract, although I can't see any way they would complement each other for that to last... But it's not for me to say! Something must be the glue...?
Suffice to say that there are secrets and lies aplenty jam packed throughout, with more than a healthy dollop of dysfunctional behaviour. Again, probably more than their fair share but who's counting? It often feels a bit intrusive as well as car crash telly once the secrets start to tumble out, thick and fast on occasion. It also kinda felt a bit immaterial what happened to Jennifer, as I got so wrapped up in the other 4.
All in all, a character driven suspense novel with plenty of twists, turns and shock along the way, which left me on the whole satisfied, My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Fredrik and his wife Nina head out for New Year’s Eve, leaving their teen daughter, Smilla, at home to celebrate with her friends. The next morning it becomes clear her friend, Jennifer, is missing. The hunt begins, and it seems most people have something to hide.

This is a character driven read, which suited it perfectly. We read from each adult involved, which gave great character insight, especially with regards to family dynamics. The characters were all well written, and each had flaws which matched their personalities, and bolstered the story. The whole book created tension and escalated the suspense. There were twists and turns with each chapter, which made for an enjoyable and compelling read.

A very atmospheric snowy story set over a Swedish new year. Old friends gather as their usual habit, but some members of the family have grown out of the family party and wish to break free. The consequent drama is very involved and damaging to all in the group.
A very good and enjoyable read. However I felt that the last paragraph somehow felt a bit off.
A good book.

Fredrick (late 40s) sneaks out of the New Year party, hosted by long-time friends Lolo and Max at their home near Malmo, to meet with Jennifer (17) – their daughter. It is nearly midnight and the guests, including his wife Nina, are drinking and rocking to 80s hits blasting out at head banging levels. Jennifer has phoned him with the implied threat that she will reveal their ‘secret relationship’ to everyone. He is worried about this, not because there is an actual relationship, but because he is a teacher and their age difference and status difference will ruin his career. It might also ruin his marriage and destroy the friendship between the families. Nina, Lolo and Malena, also a guest at the party, have been friends since early schooldays, and are the true bases of the friendship. The dynamic between the adults is reflected also in their children.
Although the younger children are at this party Smilla, Nina and Fredrick’s daughter, has been allowed to have a party at their house, co-hosted by Jennifer. There are only a few months between the girls. But if Jennifer is supposed to be at that party, several miles away, what is she doing meeting Fredrick in the woods? The meeting is acrimonious, with yelling and pushing. Jennifer is accidently knocked to the ground, sustaining a slight wound, but Fredrick panics and dashes off back to the party, where it appears, he has not been missed. Around 2:25 in the morning he drives a very drunk Nina, and their two children, home. All is quiet, the house is tidy and Smilla is asleep, so it is not ‘til midmorning that they discover that Jennifer had left about 11.30 on New Year’s Eve, after a fight with Smilla, and shortly thereafter, both families realise that she is missing.
It would be facile to say this is Scandi Noir, and also wrong, since it doesn’t have the brooding darkness and frequent jeopardy of that genre. It is a tense whodunnit at heart, and an exploration of the main characters – all of whom are believable but none of whom are very likeable. The story is told from the perspectives of the various adults, alternating a chapter each and progressing along a strict timeline. Flashback chapters are interpolated in the same style. It starts gently, establishing the main characters and their background. Everything seems sociable and friendly, although subtle and not so subtle frictions become evident, and Frederik is clearly absorbed by Jennifer from the start. Overall, it is very well constructed, and the translation is very good, although there are a few instances where idiom fails. A 4.5 rounded up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy Happy New Year like I expected I would. It was a little too dark for my taste and seemed quite drawn and over long in places.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

A very entertaining read with quite a twist at the end! I initially found it a bit slow going but when I got into it I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A new year's party where the alcohol is flowing; a seventeen-year-old girl who goes missing. Why did she leave the party that she was throwing with her best friend early? What happened to her? Is it as obvious as it seems?

This must be a parent's worst nightmare because how long can you protect your child? Was it wise to allow the children to have a party on their own?

Very entertaining!

Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book

well i wouldnt want to be friends or go to any parties of theirs, not one redeemable feature in the whole book of characters

new years eve and parties galore, but jennifer goes missing from her new years eve party

what a convoluted storyline

I think I was expecting more of a scandi thriller and what I got was a complex family drama with a tragedy built in. So many secrets and whilst some you could see coming others you really couldn’t. It is a story cleverly told in multiple times and using multiple pov’s and I did enjoy that. Unfortunately it just seemed too long and dragged out so I was starting to lose interest. Rather unlikely ending but worth waiting for.

Nina and her husband are heading to Lollo's house for a New Year's Eve party. They allow their teenage daughter, Smilla, to have a house party while they're away.
The next day it gradually becomes clear that Jennifer, Lollo's daughter, has gone missing after the teenager's party.
What follows is a reveal of secrets and lies. Did the adult friends ever truly know or care for each other?
There are a few moments during this book where the lightbulb comes on, although I thought the final reveal was disappointing.
Having said that, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

A New Year’s Eve party with lifelong friends attending. What could go wrong? When someone’s daughter goes missing we are taken on a journey finding so many secrets between the friends that it’s a wonder they’ve kept the relationship going. Well written and a page turned to the end

I do enjoy a book about secrets and friends. What we see on the surface isn't always the same as behind closed doors. Sometimes we treat our family members with more respect and love, others times not so much. Happy New Year was a first time read by the author Malin Stehn. I went in with no expectations, but was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

I enjoy a whodunit and working things out, but for me this book was more about friendships and the things we hide than what happened to Jennifer. When told from multiple points of view this story worked really well. I didn't particularly like some characters but feel we weren't meant too. The writing style was a little different to what I was used to but I enjoyed the setting. It's really hard writing a review on a book when I don't talk about individual characters, but giving away my thoughts on them would give you clues I'm afraid. I will say they all felt very life like to me and three dimensional. Especially as we got their inner feelings/thoughts in their chapters.

The ending was good, but I felt along the way I lost something with my disdain for some characters. I would give Happy New Year a solid 3.5 stars, it's a good mystery/thriller

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.