The Beach Party: Escape to Mallorca with the hottest, twistiest thriller of 2024

I decided to save reading The Beach Party by Nikki Smith until I was on holiday, and it was the perfect time to read it. Nikki Smith’s new thriller flicks between the period of 1989 and the present day. In 1989 a group of friends are holidaying together in a luxury villa in Mallorca. During the trip the group of friends don’t have a care in the world and they have everything in life to look forward to. That is until the horrific accident that will change the rest of their lives forever.Nikki Smith creates a tense atmosphere in her novel as we get to know the group of friends while they are on holiday in 1989. We know that something terrible is going to happen while they are on this trip, and this is what keeps the intrigue and suspense ticking up a notch, as I had to know what was going to happen to them. The villa, where they are staying, is owned by Nina’s parents, who are extremely wealthy. Although she has known the friends, who she has brought to Mallorca to stay with her, for a long time, it seems that some of them don’t realise quite how rich her family is. Before long, tensions start simmering amongst the friends.Nina is definitely a character who comes across as very stony faced, and someone who only cares about herself. I disliked her right from the start of this novel, and I struggled to warm to her friends who were with her, although they don’t all come from the same privileged background as Nina, but I was really intrigued to find out what was going to happen to them on the holiday. Nikki Smith builds on the atmosphere as the group settle into their holiday and creates an almost claustrophobic feeling in the villa.There is a mysterious element in the present day chapters as well. The group have been invited back to the villa again decades later. They have drifted apart from one another in the years since, but it is not clear who has invited them back to Mallorca and for what purpose. This really increases the tension, especially as Nikki Smith gradually begins to reveal what happened on the holiday. I could begin to see why someone wanted them all back at the villa.The Beach Party is a fantastic summer read by Nikki Smith that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Six friends go on holiday to the family villa of one of the party. An accident leads to potential murders and the split of group loyalties. Years later the blackmail begins.Great location, characters and plot and great writing from Nikki.Plot twists that were unanticipated! My read of the month

I loved the 80’s nostalgia, the twists & turns, the suspense & tension. A perfect summer read. I can’t wait for Nikki Smith’s next book set in the Maldives.

Well, Nikki Smith. I've had to put my life on hold whilst I read your addictive novel. Such a gripping, clever plot and such well-drawn characters. 'The Beach Party' will haunt you long after you've read the last page!

Awesome! A perfect summer holiday thriller. So many twists.

In 1989, six friends who have just finished University arrive in Mallorca to stay in a luxury villa, owned by Nina’s parents in order to party! Nina is very much the Queen Bee and runs the show. She has something on Seb going back to when they were at school together so he does exactly what she says. Claire is a party girl and is desperate for Nina’s approval, while Zoe is the slight outsider, not completely feeling she belongs. Aiden is struggling with his sexuality and Will likes Zoe but has secrets he feels he can’t share. After a party on a remote beach celebrating the Correfoc festival, there is an accident and which has terrible consequences for the group.In the present day, Nina has received an email threatening her with revealing what happened that summer and demands she returns to the villa. And she is not the only one to receive the message…I feel absolutely exhausted after reading The Beach Party (in a good way!) There are so many threads to this story – so many hints about things that had happened prior to the 1989 timeline. And the 1989 timeline isn’t wrapped up either so you don’t entirely know exactly what happened. The location of Deià in Mallorca sounds idyllic ( I Googled it and it is indeed as beautiful as described). The dynamics and loyalties of friendships is done really well and it made me question what I would do if I’d found myself in a similar situation!The story is engaging and the characters feel realistic, while reveal after reveal left my head spinning. The short chapters meant I couldn’t stop reading. A thoroughly entertaining read, sure to keep you entertained by the pool this summer.