Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this ARC in exchange for honest review!


I made the decision to DNF this one after trying to read it for months,I just couldn’t get interested.

The premise of this story was good. The setting was beautiful. The characterisation was ok but most of the characters are under developed. There seems to be a lack of emotion. The ending was ok.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

A good read and I found it compelling and gripping. It flowed at a good pace and really kept my interest.

Katie and Sophie are good friends who host a true crime podcast "Small Town" trying to solve, unsolved cases. They are asked to do a series based on a murder that happened several years ago in Sophie's hometown.

Katie and Sophie decide to travel back to the place where Katie grew up in Cornwall to host the podcast, investigating the death of Lacey.

Lacey was killed at an annual beach party, everyone was there but no one saw anything!! Katie and Sophie were also there that night.

As they delve further into their investigation they uncover a web of lies and deceit.

A gripping and twisty read that will keep your attention until the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

A group of friends are hanging out on the beach before they all go off to uni - but all of a sudden Lacey ends up dead. But who killed her? And after all this time why are two podcasters so interested in finding out what went on?

I really liked the idea of this book - small town in Cornwall, unsolved murder and podcasters that want to investigate. I did really enjoy this read and stayed up late into the night reading this. I liked how the podcasters were a big part of this book - one with major connections to the town too as this seemed really relevant at the minute. I really liked the plot - I couldn’t work out who had done it and it was a big shock for me when it was revealed. There was a the odd Americanism in this book which I felt a bit strange given the location and nationality of the characters but other than that it was a good read.

What an amazing thriller! I was locked in from the start and the ending did not disappoint,

Podcasters Sophie and Katie are investigating the murder of Lacey, which happened 5 years ago. Lacey was murdered at a beach party, which Katie was also at. Does Katie know more than she is saying? Is she repressing memories from that night?

As Katie and Sophie begin investigating, they uncover numerous secrets. It is clear that everyone who was involved is either lying or harbouring some sort of secret.

As someone who loves true crime podcasts, the premise of the story immediately locked me in. Such a great premise that was well-executed. This was a quick and easy reading that will leave you engrossed until the very end. I had a tough time putting this one day, as I needed to know what happened to Lacey. And the ending - completely shocking!

This is a perfect summer beach read! Looking forward to more thrillers by Amy Sheppard.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Forgot to post my review after reading!

Absolutely loved this book!

The writing style was really good and I look forward to reading any other books from this author in the future :)

Easy and entertaining read with twists and turns that kept me engaged. I enjoyed how the past and the future intertwine together but did find the middle a little bit of a slow burn.
An unpredictable ending is always a plus for me and I certainly hadn't picked this ending! A good one to pick up if you are looking for a quick and easy read!

This debut novel was suspenseful enough to keep my attention - and keep me guessing. Overall this was a good novel, though it did drag in some parts.

I really struggled with this one 🫤 it just did not hold my attention at all, i found it so slow and to be honest a little boring! I feel like I have been reading a different book to many of the other reviewers as they found the book to be a real page turner 😬

''We were all at the party. Which of us wanted her dead?

As the smoke from the bonfire spirals into the night sky and the cool drinks slip down our throats, none of us can take our eyes off Lacey. She dances in the dunes, her long golden hair damp from her late-night swim, her smile dazzling, her blue eyes closed.

Everyone who is close to Lacey sits by the smoky fire. Her adoring boyfriend, who holds onto her, perhaps a little too tightly. Her little sister, always in Lacey’s shadow, sifting fine soft sand through her fingers, never taking her eyes off Lacey. And me. Sad and full of rage, after an argument forced the man I love to leave the party early.

When the fire burns out, we stumble away from the beach, along the cliff path – faces burned by the wind, hearts full of secrets. But Lacey never makes it home. The next morning, her body is found in the sand dunes, a heart-shaped locket missing from around her neck.

Who would have thought our beach party could end the way it did? Close friends gathered on the last night of a long hot summer – which one of us could have killed the girl everybody loved?''


Sheppard's debut novel is expertly crafted, with well-developed characters and a plot that kept me guessing until the very end. The Beach Party is a suspenseful and atmospheric read that I couldn't put down, and I can't wait to see what Sheppard does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early version of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I can't believe this is Amy Sheppard's first psychological thriller, She writes like a seasoned pro and is responsible for me staying up all night I loved the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. Great character development. I have recommended it to friends and my book club. Can't wait to read her next book.

This was a solid debut novel by Amy Sheppard and I look forward to checking out her next book. The characters were well-developed and the suspenseful plot kept me turning the pages as quickly as I could. The only negative from me was the "podcaster returning to small hometown" angle. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but it's a very popular trend in the genre right now.

A gripping mystery that has you turning the pages right until the final chapter, it’s rare to find a novel where you have such unexpected twists

Upon first glance, this book seems to be a stereotypical someone dies at a party and everyone is a suspect book, however the book manages to be that but also not fall into that trope. We get the details of the murder from Katie’s perspective, who is discussing it on her podcast. I’m a sucker for a true crime podcast, so I was interested to see how it would play out. Having someone at the party who is now giving the podcast was truly a nice change on the trope. Overall I really liked the premise of the book and I found it to be just enough twists to where it wasn’t super obvious, but not so out there that it was an implausible ending. Overall I really enjoyed this!

I found this book to be ok. The story was interesting and I liked that I never trusted anyone's motives. I never saw the twist at the end. I think this was a solid debut novel from the author.

A good suspenseful plot and good character descriptions make this taut thriller.
The beach setting is at contrast with the bleak subject matter and the pace kept me interested.
A story peppered with some good twists, I enjoyed reading this novel.

The Beach Party is a quick read that gripped me instantly. A podcast about an unsolved murder brings ghosts from the past back with a vengeance. Lacey was murdered and her murderer was never brought to justice. Childhood friends Katie and Sophie start a podcast determined to solve the mysterious case. “When someone dies, they become perfect. The tragedy eclipses any character flaws or bad memories you have of that person. I couldn’t forget. Neither the image of her body on the ground nor the sadness of her friends and family could take the place of my anger.” Someone knows the truth and the answers have the power to change lives forever. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.

I am a complete sucker for anything with a cold case or podcast plot line lately. Good debut novel from Amy Sheppard! Sophie and Katie have a podcast that revolves around unsolved crimes. They are working on a case that happened a couple years prior to these best friends meeting in Katie's hometown. The way the story goes from past to present and back again really keeps you hooked! I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait to read her next novel.