The Party House By Lin Anderson

‘The Party House’ is the latest book by Lin Anderson.

The village of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands was shocked when seventeen-year-old Ailsa Cummings went missing five years ago. While a recent pandemic has stirred up old tensions and sparked an animosity in the small community towards outsiders. Angry that the local estate is to reopen its luxury ‘party house’ to tourists results in an angry mob causing damage to the property’s hot tub, only to unearth the buried body of the missing girl in its foundations. The discovery ignites old suspicions among the villagers, especially the men, who’d known Ailsa. Men like Greg, who has invited Joanne to stay with him having met her on a recent business trip in London. When questioned about the girl, he angrily refuses to discuss the case. Joanne, disturbed by his reaction, questions how well she knows this new man in her life. Then again, he’s not the only one with secrets in their volatile relationship. When a police team arrives to excavate the remains, they find a close-knit community who would prefer the past to stay buried.

The first book that I’ve read by Scottish author and this story set just after the pandemic makes for additive and intense reading.

The story is seen though the perspective of Greg and Joanne. New lovers, Joanne decides to visit the small village that Greg lives in, just as a body of a young woman is found in the estate that Greg is the groundskeeper of which has come to to be known as ‘The Party House’ As the small village recovers from the pandemic and reopens to the swarm of police, media and tourists. They are still reeling from the deaths during the pandemic when they were safe but out of towners brought the virus in so they are distrust and are wary of newcomers.

Joanne has come to the village under the guise of a writer but really she’s writing an article about the girl who disappeared five years ago only to be found dead and Greg is trying to keep his head together as the guests from five years when the woman went missing. As history and secrets are revealed, both Joanne and Greg find themselves discovering and hiding lies, all whilst ruining from their past.

This story is a suspenseful one, set in a small claustrophobic village where everyone knows everyone’s business and tourists are not welcome. The story is cleverly crafted, riddled with drama, it’s also packed with Scottish history and culture that was really insightful. Joanne and Greg are interesting couple, the chemistry between them is obvious and makes for thrilling as they get to know each other and deal with with small village drama and dynamics.

A story of mystery, secrets and suspense, ‘The Party House’ is a compelling Scottish thriller.
You can buy ‘The Party House’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.