\We do love our special events—birthday parties, weddings, family reunions, and such. These happenings give us a chance to acknowledge important milestones in our lives and celebrate traditions that have brought us together for generations. But what happens when these cherished occasions go wildly off the rails? There’s something quite sinister and devilishly fun when a celebration turns calamitous. Despite all our planning and good intentions, the wild card is always other people, and in our hearts, we all know that nothing is quite as safe and secure as we pretend it to be. In my own domestic suspense novel, THE BLOCK PARTY (On-sale July 18), I explore the secrets and lies that lead to a murder on a close-knit cul-de-sac during an annual block party.
Let’s take a look at some of my favorite twisted tales of special events that go from pleasant to catastrophic.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Everyone loves a good wedding, and the one depicted in Lucy Foley’s breakout novel is certainly one for the ages. It has it all—a unique setting on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, and a guest list that’s so exclusive even the movers and shakers are feeling left out of the fun. But make no mistake, all is not as it seems as the grand festivities get underway. As the invitees arrive, we discover the secret reasons each has received the coveted invitation, and learn of the special “gifts” they plan to bestow upon the newlyweds. As one might expect from a dark and foreboding mystery novel such as this, the bride and groom would be better off if more than a few of these offerings went unopened.
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Nora Shaw, a reclusive crime writer, is surprised to receive an invite to a bachelorette party from a friend she hasn’t seen or spoken to in over ten years. The party is to take place in a remote glass house surrounded by woods, which casts an eerie spell over the happy occasion. Nora decides to attend, but as one should expect, she soon realizes something is not right. Trapped together in the house due to a heavy snowstorm, old grudges and secrets begin to surface and the atmosphere turns increasingly fraught with tension. But something terrible happens in the woods that night, and Nora, who wakes up confused in a hospital bed, is unsure if she can trust her own memories or the people around her.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
What could be more harmless and fun than a trivia night fundraiser at a local school? Unfortunately, when you mix secrets, jealousy, and betrayal, the combination can be quite deadly. Moriarty’s novel, which was made into a hugely successful HBO miniseries, centers on three women, Madeline, Jane, and Celeste, and examines issues of domestic violence, parenting, friendships, and the little lies we all tell ourselves to get by, that can have deadly consequences.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
What happens when a lavish birthday party, thrown by a powerful Japanese businessman who is also a devoted opera fan, takes a drastic turn as terrorists storm the mansion where the party is taking place? A weeks-long hostage situation ensues when the terrorists learn their intended kidnapping target is not in attendance. Patchett, a master at conveying the depth and complexity of human emotion and connection, explores the intricate ways in which beauty can enter our lives even under the bleakest of circumstances.
You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa
I’ve never had the good fortune of being invited to a Sri Lankan wedding, but should an invitation reach me, I hope the experience will be nothing like the lavish ceremony depicted in Amanda Jayatissa’s wildly addictive thriller. One needs to rise above when attending the nuptials of a former lover, but Amaya faces an even bigger challenge when she’s accused of murdering the groom, who has vanished without a trace. Naturally, nothing is as it seems, and dark secrets abound, as Amaya is not the only guest in attendance displeased with the idea of a happily ever after.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
This classic of the mystery genre has made generations of mystery lovers question the unexpected invitation. Ten strangers are lured to Soldier Island via an invitation tailored to personal circumstances from a “U.N. Owen.” The reasons for the summons are as varied as the characters themselves: a doctor who thinks he’s there to treat a wealthy woman, a private investigator who believes he’s on a job, a religious woman who is convinced it’s an invite to a holiday resort, and so on. When guests start dying one by one in a manner that mirrors a creepy nursery rhyme titled “Ten Little Soldiers,” those in attendance quickly realize this is one invitation they should have passed up.
Black Sunday, by Thomas Harris
I can’t think of an event much bigger, more grandiose, and well-known than the Super Bowl. Thomas Harris’s debut novel from 1975 uses this as the backdrop for a terrorist plot to detonate a bomb during the most-watched television broadcast in America. And the bomb in Harris’s superb thriller comes by air—not in a plane, but as a giant blimp that is wired to explode. The tension is non-stop as an Israeli agent named David Kabakov works with US law enforcement to try and thwart the imminent attack.
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