Spotlight on “The Engagement Party” by Darby Kane

by LitStack Editor
The Engagement Party and author Darby Kane

Emily Hunt went missing from her affluent liberal arts school on graduation weekend. Her body was found floating in a river, and a quiet loner who most people on campus really didn’t know died by suicide. A tenuous link—one text—bound the two dead students together and was enough for law enforcement to close the case. But they got it wrong and now someone is determined to set it right.

Twelve years later, college friends gather to celebrate an engagement over a long overdue getaway on a swanky private island in Maine—with only one way in and one way out. Sierra Prescott, invited as a guest and unconnected to past events, is the only person who soon senses not all is what it seems.

The tension in the air is ignited when they find a dead man in the trunk of a car with a note: time to tell the truth. And things only get worse. As a torrential storm strands them together, the group’s buried stories begin to surface and secrets are bartered. To survive this deadly party, they’ll need to stop a killer before they become prey. 

The Engagement Party is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you up all night following its twists and turns to a stunning conclusion. I couldn’t put it down.”—Carol Goodman, New York Times bestselling author

“Buckle up folks. The Engagement Party is the definition of “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” The secluded setting with the relentless storm will have your heart pounding. The incredible twists will transport you into a tornado of lies and deception, and the ending will leave you gasping.”—Jaime Lynn Hendricks, bestselling author of I Didn’t Do It

“The Engagement Party is a gripping, fast-paced, non-stop thriller! The twists and turns are sharp, they surprised me every time. Sit down with this book and get comfortable, because you won’t be able to put it down.”—Samantha Downing, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and A Twisted Love Story

“If Agatha Christie re-wrote your favorite slasher story, it would be The Engagement Party. This is Darby Kane’s darkest, twistiest thriller yet (which is saying a lot!), with game-changing surprises in nearly every chapter. It would be hard to find a book more fast-paced or adrenaline-fueled, because with this one, you don’t turn the pages; you tear through them.”—Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot and Thicker Than Water

“My God, this book is delicious. The Engagement Party is a swallow-down-in-one-desperate-gulp kind of thriller, so compelling I felt feral turning its pages. Darby Kane is a master at constructing juicy, twist-filled plots. The multiple points-of-view, ensemble cast, dark, isolated Maine setting, and decade-old secrets combine to create a locked-room mystery of the highest order, a puzzle-box so clever and sly it would make Agatha Christie proud.”—Ashley Winstead, author of Midnight is the Darkest Hour

“Chillingly twisty and deliciously wild, The Engagement Party is a cinematic locked room thriller with a cast of fascinating characters. When a violent storm isolates a group of guests on a remote island, murder is on everyone’s mind while each tries to survive the night. As the bodies dropped, shocking turns whipped me into such a frenzy that I almost burned my fingers turning the pages. Another addictively terrifying read by stellar talent Darby Kane.”—Samantha M. Bailey, USA TODAY bestselling author

“An isolated island. A violent storm. A group of friends with secrets. And one body after another. Darby Kane has cooked up one heck of a locked room thrilled with this recipe, and as she stirs the pot, dropping in unexpected twists and shattering reveals, you’ll find yourself wondering who—if anyone—will survive the night. You won’t be able to read The Engagement Party fast enough!”—Jessica Payne, international bestselling author of Make Me Disappear

The Engagement Party author Darby Kane

Darby Kane is a former trial attorney and #1 international bestseller of domestic suspense. Her debut book, Pretty Little Wife, was featured in numerous venues, including Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, The Toronto Star, Popsugar, Refinery29, Goodreads, The Skimm, and Huffington Post. A native of Pennsylvania, Darby now lives in California and runs from the cold. When she’s not writing suspense, she can be found watching suspense, thrillers, and mysteries. 

You can find and follow Darby on her website, on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

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