The Wedding Party (Rebecca Heath, Head of Zeus)

In her latest thriller, The Wedding Party, Rebecca Heath (The Summer Party, The Dinner Party) masterfully tells the gripping story of three families connected by a tragic incident that occurred 12 years earlier, who come together for a wedding that could turn deadly. Set in the small seaside town of Refuge Bay, South Australia, where everyone knows each other (and their secrets), the book introduces three women whose lives were shaped by the drowning of 17-year-old Ollie. The novel is told in alternating chapters by Adele, Ollie’s former girlfriend; Melanie, Ollie’s grieving mother, who blames Adele’s fiancé Jason for her son’s death; and Sophie, Ollie’s younger sister, who idolised him. As Adele prepares to marry Jason, the former local bully and Ollie’s best mate turned wealthy developer, the couple starts receiving anonymous messages urging them to call off the wedding, forcing them to question whether they’re marrying for the right reasons. Heath’s vivid writing draws the reader in, offering distinct perspectives as she interweaves characters from past and present timelines, building tension and creating suspense. As the story unfolds, some characters evolve, while others remain steadfast in their ways, perhaps never learning from their past—a choice that lends a sense of realism to the narrative and reflects the complexities of human nature. The Wedding Party will thrill readers of Shelley Burr, Dervla McTiernan and Christian White.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Vanessa Pengelly is operations director at Books+Publishing. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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