I had finished my book (and my husband had started reading my backup book) and our plane was about to leave. I did not want to get on board without something to read, but there’s a limited supply of books at small airports. Happily, I saw a copy of The Hunting Party on the small bookshelf located between the t-shirts, postcards, and Florida souvenirs, and it was $9.99 well spent.

If you’ve read the more recent The Guest List, this is a similar formula (an Agatha Christie-type story for the 21st century): a small group (this time it’s a new years eve gathering), an isolated setting (a secluded inn in remote Scotland), bad weather (a snow storm, leaving the party even more isolated), and a murder. Turns out that this group of friends on a reunion has all kinds of secrets, resentments, and betrayals in their past, and, rather alarmingly, in the present. Things go off the rails fairly quickly, leaving the reader to wonder who was killed and who was the killer. It’s all wrapped up quite nicely, with happy resolutions for those few who deserve them. As neither the murderer nor the victim are particularly sympathetic, it’s not emotionally fraught, and it’s easy to enjoy the unraveling of the group and the mystery of just what happened. 

To sum up, it’s perfect reading for keeping entertained on a short flight or for lounging in a beach chair. 

HOW TO PURCHASE: AMAZON

NOVEL: The Hunting Party

AUTHOR: Lucy Foley

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2019

LEAD-IN IMAGE

Book cover, HarperCollins