The Bridal Party by J.G. Murray

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

It’s the weekend of Clarisse’s bridal party, a trip the girls have all been looking forward to. Then, on the day of their flight, Tamsyn, the maid of honour, suddenly backs out. Upset and confused, they try to make the most of the stunning, isolated seaside house they find themselves in.

But, there is a surprise in store – Tamsyn has organised a murder mystery, a sinister game in which they must discover a killer in their midst. As tensions quickly boil over, it becomes clear to them all that there are some secrets that won’t stay buried…

| MY THOUGHTS |

Clarisse and her friends are off to the island of Jersey for a bridal party weekend. None of them have any idea what’s in store for them as the weekend was organised by the maid of honour, Tamsyn. Sadly, Tamsyn’s mother falls ill and Tamsyn is forced to back out of the celebrations. The girls intend to make the best of things though and spirits are lifted considerably when they find out where they are staying. Until they realise Tamsyn has organised a murder mystery …

Remote location, creepy shenanigans, lies and secrets … Not your average weekend, to be sure. It all reminded me somewhat of those 90’s slasher movies and The Bridal Party often evoked the same emotions in me. Those moments where you roll your eyes at the sheer stupidity of the characters, usually followed by yelling “get the hell out of there!”.

I never quite managed to get to grips with the characters and their friendships often baffled me. I might have benefited from just a bit more depth in the dynamics of how the various relationships worked to find it in myself to become invested in these ladies. The few flashbacks didn’t really bring much to the table and I’m not entirely sure they were even necessary.

Nevertheless, The Bridal Party is a quick, easy read and it did entertain me for a few hours as I flew through the pages. You just know this won’t end well but there are a few surprises in store. Even if for me personally, it all felt a little over the top. I suppose I’d call this a rather light-hearted story about betrayal and revenge and for me the perfect in-between read when I need a break from my regular dose of gore and gruesomeness. Ultimately, it failed to really grip me and the thrill in thriller was sorely lacking for me.

Lesson learned though : Never let anyone organise a party for you.

The Bridal Party is available to buy in ebook format.

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