The Engagement Party by Darby Kane (Review by Aura Johnson)

A gang of old college friends reunite in order to celebrate an engagement of one of their own. The remote cabin in Maine seemed like a perfect place to let loose and say goodbye to single life, however, the party becomes progressively worse as strange things start to happen, all relating back to a deadly event that happened twelve years ago. One of the outsiders, who had nothing to do with that fateful graduation night, is the only one who sees that things are not what they appear as the group begins to splinter, and the truth of what happened behind the life lost that night becomes fluid between the friend group. It is of no coincidence that the remote cabin was chosen, as another outsider in the group had a hidden purpose, trying to get closer to everyone, and obtain information. At the same time, there was someone else, outside the party, who wanted their own revenge, and from the moment the group arrives at the cabin, death follows them throughout the book. The entire weekend turns into cat and mouse chase between the college friends and the unknown tormentor, who vows to not stop until each and every one of them pays a price for what happened. The story was gripping from the very beginning and it did not let up until the very end. I enjoyed the fact that the author kept me guessing and it was not one of those thrillers where it is easy to tell who committed the crime, or what happened to the victim from the very beginning. The truth behind who did what that fateful graduation night kept hopping between the people, fingers were being pointed left and right, and their friends, old acquaintances kept turning up dead during that engagement party weekend. Most of the book seemed to be a little too deep, the author took the reader with her, enthralling with the vivid descriptions that almost made you feel as if you were there. While reading this, I felt anguish, fear, and frustration along with the story characters themselves. Apart from occasional ridiculous plot points (if it is storming like crazy and the house has no power, please do not go outside…), I would say that the story was well written and well told, and shows us how far some people are willing to go to hide the truth and how far others are willing to go to tell it.