Lovely Mary Grand has a brand new book out today and having heard so many good things about it from my blogger friends, I couldn’t resist asking her back to Linda’s Book Bag to tell me all about it.

I have stayed in with Mary on a previous occasion when she told me all about Behind the Smile. You can see that post here. Mary also provided me with a super guest piece on the importance of place in writing to go alongside her book Hidden Chapters and that can be viewed here.

Lets find out about her brand new book:

Staying in with Mary Grand

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag Mary and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me once more.

Thank you so much for inviting me back!  It’s lovely to be somewhere I feel so at home.

That’s great to hear. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I am very excited to bring my new book The House Party which is published TODAY!!!

Hurrah! Happy publication day for The House Party Mary. Congratulations.

This is the first of my books to be published by Boldwood Books and so it is a real ‘dream come true’ day for me!

I’m thrilled for you. So, what can we expect from an evening in with The House Party?

With The House Party, our evening will be full of suspense, mystery, and even murder!

Gosh, I hope that’s only fictional murder!

We will get to know Beth, the main character in the story, who is desperate to find the truth behind the death of her close friend Kathleen. Her search is a hard one, full of twists and turns, at times her marriage and even life are in danger. This is a story with revelations about people Beth thought she could trust and the uncovering of dark secrets.  At times, with Beth, you will wonder if there is anyone you can really trust.

That sounds quite dark Mary!

However, our evening will have shades of light as well as darkness. With Beth we discover goodness in unexpected places.

That’s a relief!

Also, while many holidays are on hold, we will be able to escape virtually to my home, the Isle of Wight, as this is where the story is set. ’The island’ is a place of spectacular beauty, can feel remote and has tight knit communities. It is always a ferry ride away from the rest of the world and a wonderful place for us to be transported to for an evening.

Do you know, I’ve always wanted to visit the Isle of Wight since I saw a feature on the multi-coloured sands about half a century ago on Blue Peter.

As we settle down for the evening, I am delighted to share a few snippets of reviews of The House Party.

“This is a real page turner, that kept me guessing until the end! …A gripping read.”

Katie S, Reviewer

“A brilliantly clever read, one to remember.”

Nicki M, Reviewer

“The House Party is a fantastic read for anyone who likes twisty, witty thriller reads.’’

Amanda R, Reviewer

Those are fabulous Mary. You must be delighted to get that reaction from your readers. What else have you brought along this time and why?

I have, of course, brought along some Prosecco and Elderflower Fizz for us to drink.

Brilliant. I’m rather partial to a glass of something fizzy!

As we sip them, I would love to share some photos of places on the Isle of Wight that were the inspiration behind The House Party.

The novel opens at a house party to celebrate Kathleen’s amazing new designer home. Although the house is fictitious, it is set on the cliff tops of Freshwater Bay.

The village where Beth lives, Castleford, is my creation, the people are all fictitious. However, I have used the geography of real places and here are a few of the places mentioned in the story.

The Shute

The Castle

A few other places Beth walks on the island that are favourites of mine are Mottistone Down and Tennyson Down.

Shepherd’s Chine

Parkhurst Woods

With my trips to India, China and Japan this year all cancelled Mary, this vicarious visit to the isle of Wight is just what I needed. Thank you so much for staying in with me and huge congratulations again on today’s publication of The House Party.

Thank you so much for being with me to celebrate and keeping me company on this special day xx

The House Party

Someone is about to die… Someone is about to lie…

At the intimate house-warming party for her glorious ‘grand design’, Kathleen confides in her best friend Beth that she is terrified of one of their close friends, but daren’t reveal which one. The guests are a tight-knit group, but Kathleen is convinced one of them is dangerous.

The next day Kathleen’s body is found at the foot of a cliff and Beth must face the sickening truth that she may have been killed by one of their trusted friends. With little help from the police, Beth’s decides to seek answers.

All the friends have secrets they are desperate to hide, but only one of them is ready to kill to keep theirs safe…

The House Party is set on the Isle of Wight – insular, claustrophobic, and with nowhere to run. Mary Grand has written a heart-stopping novel of secrets, betrayal and desire, perfect for fans of Louise Candlish and Lucy Foley.

The House Party is published by Boldwood Books, today 21st July 2020, and is available for purchase here.

About Mary Grand

Mary Grand lives on the Isle of Wight with her family.  Before coming to the island, she worked as a teacher of Deaf children in Hastings and Croydon.  Mary grew up in Wales and speaks a smattering of Welsh, and her first two novels are set in Wales.  After several very happy years of self-publishing, during which time Mary published three novels and two collections of short stories, she is now excited to be working with and to be published by the team at Boldwood Books.

For more information, you can visit Mary’s website, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @authormaryg.