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TOtimes Books: THE SEARCH PARTY by Hannah Richell -Book Review

Table of Contents

“The Big Chill with more drama, more twists and more mystery”

This new novel (released in January, 2024), The Search Party by Hannah Richell feels like an updated version of The Big Chill with more drama, more twists and more mystery. It’s skillfully written for sure. British author Hannah Richell cleverly drops little morsels along the way that are deliciously harvested at the end.

My only issue is that I really wasn’t able to ‘feel’ for any of the characters – perhaps because they seemed like stereotypes or maybe because there were so many of them. Mercifully, there is a list at the front of the book designed to help you keep track of who’s who.

The plot

The plot is enticing – urbane university friends get back together on a long weekend to test run a glamping site at the Cornwall cliffs, in the wilds of southwest Britain. With the kids, it makes for a party of 15. All is well until they’re gathered around the fire – adults drinking, kids with marshmallows and sticks. Issues arise with the children and the loose lipped adults overreact. Then somebody goes missing and the weather turns ugly with ghastly gales and rivers of rain. Power and (worse yet) WIFI is knocked out, so there’s no communication with the outside world or each other via cell phones.

You know that something nasty has happened because the police are there, but you don’t know exactly the who, what or why…unless you keep turning the pages! This book is a ‘page turner’ for sure—you can’t put it down. Okay, just one more chapter. A classic whodunit with secrets, lies, blackmail, and finger pointing. Long time friendships are tested as are relationships with kids and spouses. It makes you wonder what would happen if you got together with a group of friends from high school or university.

**Hannah Richell,** author of **The Search Party**. photo by **Lucy Williams** Copyright © 2024 by Hannah Richell. *Published by Simon & Schuster Canada, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc., Toronto*

About author Hannah Richell

Hannah Richell was born in Kent, England and spent her childhood years in Buckinghamshire and Canada. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, she worked in the book publishing and film industries in both London (England) and Sydney. She is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia, and currently lives in the South West of England with her family. Richell is the author of several international bestselling books including Secrets of the Tides (2012), The Shadow Year (2014), The Peacock Summer (2019) and The River Home (2020).