The Last Party: The twisty thriller and instant Sunday Times bestseller (DC Morgan)

Rating: 4.5/5With her previous books Clare Mackintosh has already demonstrated that she is a talented writer - but I would venture to suggest that "The Last Party" is her finest piece of work yet!I won't go into the plot as there is adequate information in the summary provided by the publisher to get you started without the need for me to risk divulging any spoilers, but Clare Mackintosh has produced a compelling piece of dramatic fiction that delivers wonderfully well in a variety of ways.The style is quite filmic and in many respects it is reminiscent of a ready-to-go screenplay for a television mini-series ... and I really hope that someone picks this up and turns it into just that. The choice of setting is a master stoke and provides the ideal environment for the dramatis personae to inhabit as well as the perfect backdrop for the captivating mystery. The characterisation is excellent. There is quite a sizeable cast in "The Last Party", but the author has gone to great trouble to make sure that they are all well-drawn, relatable and credible. Central protagonist, Ffion, is particularly impressive - flawed, but endearing, and gifted with a sharp wit and appealing sense of humour. It is a joy to watch the interaction between her and Leo as they strive to uncover the truth.The narrative alternates between the present time - following the live progress of the investigation into the death of Rhys Lloyd - and then flashbacks to various points in the months leading up that fateful night. As we look back, we do so through the eyes of all the key players. Incredibly, there are a staggering sixteen different viewpoints depicted during the course of the novel. Utilising so many points of view really shouldn't work - but, in this instance, it absolutely does! I take my hat off to Clare Mackintosh - her clever construction makes something that could have had the potential to be a complete car crash seem entirely appropriate and fitting.In the "Acknowledgments" section the Clare Mackintosh thanks fellow author, Lisa Jewell, for her advice on research - after reading this, I wouldn't be surprised if Clare Mackintosh finds a number of other writers seeking her advice about how to construct a successful murder mystery. This is a very easy book to recommend - not only to lovers of murder mysteries, but to anyone who appreciates well-written fiction of any genre.

Clare Mackintosh is such a versatile writer; she’s become an auto-buy author for me. From the heartbreaking After The End to the high stakes Hostage, she knows how to tell a story - and now she’s turned her hand to a police procedural series.The Last Party is the first book featuring DC Ffion Morgan, and I’m glad it won’t be the last. Ffion is a fantastic character who is steely, sharp, funny and vulnerable all at once. Her sidekick in this book’s investigation, DC Leo Brady, is just as well drawn and is the perfect complement to Ffion.The story begins with the discovery of the dead body of Rhys Lloyd, a failing opera singer, at his high end resort The Shore - which sits on the edge of a lake which transverses England and Wales. The setting was my favourite thing about this book - although fictional, it closely resembles a number of places in North Wales and was the perfect brooding backdrop for the mystery.The cast of suspects was just the right size to provide sufficient suspense, red herrings and twists, although I did find a few of the characters quite similar. For a while I kept getting confused between two couples, which I think is mostly down to the nature of The Shore and its holiday home owners.The reveal of what really happened to Rhys Lloyd and who was responsible is paced just right, with all loose ends tied up nicely in a satisfying conclusion. I never felt like the book dragged while I was reading it and I was hooked throughout, but when I got to the end I did think it was a long book for the story.I wasn’t as wowed with this as with other Clare Mackintosh novels, but that’s only because she’s set the bar so high. Taken on its own merit it’s a very good book and a strong start to the DC Morgan series, which I look forward to reading more of.

Wow! What an amazing book. I’m going to be telling everyone about this. It has made me smile and even made me cry. It is full of drama, and has a great storyline. The characters are interesting and believable and you will fall in love with DC Ffion Morgan.“They stay in the bonnet of the Triumph, silently watching the lake. A minute or two passes and then Seren slowly drops her head on to Ffion’s shoulder, and Ffion holds her breath and digs her nails into her palm to stop herself from crying.”That got me! I won’t spoil the story, but when you get to that bit, you will understand.And a clever author sets a scene with just a few words. When the room and the characters within in are painted succinctly, it’s magic.“Leo’s desk phone flashes with the number for the front desk.‘Someone here to see you. Says she knows you.’There’s still half an hour until morning meeting, so Leo makes his way downstairs.At the front desk Nellie is dunking a Hobnob into a cup of tea. ‘I put her in the side room. Didn’t get a name, sorry - it’s been manic.’Leo looks around the empty office. ‘Looks like it.’”We’ve all worked with a Nellie, no doubt. But isn’t it amazing how you get her character just from that tiny bit of writing? Brilliant work.The story is about a famous singer who is killed on New Year’s Eve at a party at The Shore, which is his new development of luxury lodges on the shore of a lake that divides England and Wales.The Shore has also divided many people - the local Welsh community are protective of their land and don’t welcome the abrasive English visitors, who send for their shopping from Ocado, rather than using the local shop. There are lots of people who want Rhys Lloyd dead.Great story. 5 stars

This is one of my favorite writers and she did not disappoint!! So much going on and never would have guessed so many things about the ending.I would even love to see her write a second book to continue with the characters!

I didn't want to finish this novel because I loved the characters so much, yet I was reading faster and faster because of the twisted plot. The setting is a small town near the border of Wales and England where a new upscale housing development has disturbed the community's tranquility. The main character, Ffion, a local detective constable, has just had a wild New Year's Eve celebration where she met a man in a bar, had too much to drink, and went home with him. Early on New Year's Day, she creeps out of his apartment.Ffion is called to work later in the morning because a man, Rys Lloyd, a famous singer, has been pulled from the lake in front of The Shore, a group of five vacation lodges built for the ultra-rich. She is assigned to work with a detective constable from England because The Shore is on the English side of the lake, and the police officials don't know who have the jurisdiction at this point. She walks in to meet her new partner, and he turns out to be the man she just had a one-night stand with. Since they have no choice, Ffion and Leo, her new partner on the case, try to put their awkwardness aside and get on with the investigation.As it turns out, Leo has a very different working style from Ffion's. He is reserved and more inclined to follow procedure, whereas Ffion acts rashly but often has brilliant insights. They agree to pretend that their encounter never took place with varying degrees of success. They interview all the people around Rhys on New Year's Eve and learn to their dismay, that it was practically the whole town. Lloyd owned one of the lodges, and he and his business partner, who owned another lodge, hosted a party for The Shore and invited the local community.Ffion and Leo find that virtually everyone has a motive to hurt Lloyd. He knew most of the people in the town as he grew up there before his singing career took off. Lloyd had managed to make many enemies because, appearances to the contrary, he was not a nice man. Lloyd had some bad habits involving money, drugs, and women. Ffion and Leo have the challenge of sifting through the suspects to find someone angry enough to kill him. For Ffion, this means being suspicious of some of those people close to her.This story engaged me from the start. The author, Clare MacIntosh, does a masterful job of presenting her characters' points of view. For example, Ffion, having grown up swimming in the lake, views The Shore as a complete eyesore and intrusive to the natural beauty. On the other hand, Leo lives in a dismal rented apartment that is plain and bare. To him, the lodges are aspirational. Every character has well-delineated motivations, agendas, and fears. These come through in the writing and make it more compelling than many murder mysteries. Another reason I was glued to the book was the plot. The twists come fast. The only negative I could find is that at the end, perhaps there were one too many twists, but it was a riveting conclusion, nonetheless. Readers who enjoy Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware will love this one.

Brilliant plot, characters and ambiance!Loved it …. A book I will definitely remember!

Normally I don't like books which switch backwards and forwards between times and people but with this book It worked well.A good read which keeps you guessing

And has given us a fantastic new thriller, introducing a wonderful new female detective and a delectable male one as well...And also had the added benefit of introducing me to Wales, where I have never been. Told from various points of views the plot twists and turns and has many surprises up its sleeve. And the eye to detail is superb! Can't wait for the next installment!