It's not to say this was a bad book or poorly written - it's not - it's just not my cup of tea, I suppose. And frankly, I read a lot of light, fluffy, beach reads, so it really means something when I think it's TOO light and has no substance. But imagine having that chance in your hand to find out a possible relationship effecting secret, all gone up in a puff of smoke... Then there's Simon the unexpected guest who is invited to the first dinner party by Chris due to his marital issues & his horrible wife Candice Mostly, this pull revolves around the dominating presence of their mother. For the Gleeson’s are a family ruled by their mother’s moods and tempers, her never-ending desire for sympathy and attention, her rages, and criticisms. As the novel gives glimpses of the family relationships, we see how Kate begins to self-destruct and the author cleverly touches on comments and remarks which bring about a difficult relationship for Kate with, not only her mother, but food.

The Dinner Party by Richard Jay Parker | Goodreads The Dinner Party by Richard Jay Parker | Goodreads

I both enjoyed and was unsettled by this read. Bernadette and my mother had a great deal in common. There are secrets and lies aplenty ... add suicides, possible homicides, drugs, alcohol and well hidden pasts that are slowly being revealed, and the suspense is palpable. I found the first half riveting, but them it kind of fizzled toward the end. The story was all wrapped up, but some of it didn't rise to the level of tension I had expected. It is a bit mad but never strays into unbelievable and it is wildly entertaining with a great ending.As an aside the Party I think has a couple of false notes - a Baked Alaska incident which is perhaps a little too resonant with the Bake-Off #Bingate, and some funny Brownies I loved the promise of this book. A dinner party between friends where a game of trust is played, and the friends start turning up dead... sounds exciting and like it would have an amazing twist, right? The family dynamic in this story was great and felt realistic. I remember being in a situation similar to Sarah's when I was only a little younger than she is. I'm just thankful that Sylvia wasn't my mother. Despite her being a primary character, it was hard to find her likable through most of the story. Perhaps that was the catalyst that moved everything along, and she did have some sympathetic moments. I was seeing her through Sarah's eyes a lot. In any case, I found her character shift to be interesting and a bit surprising, based on what she was like when she and Alan first met.

The Dinner Party Cookbook: 200 Fabulous Main Dish Ideas The Dinner Party Cookbook: 200 Fabulous Main Dish Ideas

What secrets are being hidden and why does Ted feel as is Juliette is not being honest with him? Could this silly game have had anything to do with what is happening to all of them? As marriages and friendships are being tested will anyone survive? And they were jumbling, the images, the faces: Peter standing tall with his news of the future, and Ray pulling his chair closer, and then their mother, her mother, the metallic sheen of her eyes and the clawed hands of all that worry and hurt. Kate could see herself too, could see the four of them now sat around the table, existing in the same space together. Surviving. Really, she thought, they were all strange, troubled individuals but beside each other, they were very clearly a family. You could not call it anything else. It was all they had, and it might be enough. Kate, even though the older twin by some six minutes, is used to coming off second best when compared to her fraternal twin, Elaine. Elaine is somehow more vivacious, more beautiful, and gets away with a lot more with her mother than Kate. Elaine understands how to both play her mother's game, and play her mother. Kate feels like a paler copy of her sister, a shadow, the negative of the photo. This feeling only intensifies after Elaine's death. It was a good read but not excellent. It did grip me at the beginning and I was fully engaged. I started it before going to bed and thought I could just read through some chapters. Instead I read the first quarter in one sitting and had to go to bed because of work and continued the next day. This book is fast paced and filled with twists and turns. The ending was a surprise and I could never have guessed what would happen. The chapters are short and snappy.Such a shame. I would read other books from this author - I noticed he writes mostly true crime though, and I only read fiction. Now grow the kids up a bit, pair them off, and add in seeds of self doubt, marital discontent, and general passive aggressive self loathing. For over a month - Sylvia spent energy and money preparing to impress the Rothschilds family. Henry was coming with his parents. Chef Michael: his food choices - Frog Legs - to represent the pharaoh in Egypt - was ‘not’ a hit prize traditional Jewish food choice.