The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella

Most of us who enjoy reading books will have their favourite authors. Sophie Kinsella is one of mine. I first discovered her Shopaholic series over twenty years ago and I’ve looked forward to each and every new release since then. The Party Crasher is her 2021 book set to publish on October 12. I absolutely adored it.

Plot Summary

Two years ago, Effie’s world as she knew it came tumbling down. Since that time, her parents divorced, her Dad has met someone that Effie and her siblings don’t really like, and now their beloved family home is being sold. Effie really has tried to get to know her Dad’s girlfriend Krista, but she acts as a gatekeeper between Effie and her Dad. Her relationship with her father has become strained and Effie doesn’t know how to make it right.

When she learns from her sister that there is to be a “house-cooling” party before they vacate the home, Effie awaits the email invite received by both of her siblings. But it never comes. It seems that Krista has not bothered to invite her. That is, until she receives a last minute invite that is certainly not inviting. She declines this “invite”, but later remembers her beloved childhood treasure of a set of Russian dolls. She develops a plan to get into the house, retrieve her dolls, and exit the house without being noticed. What she hears and sees along the way will be sure to alter her life forever.

Book Review

The Party Crasher is one of my favourite Sophie Kinsella books. I was engaged and entertained throughout the course of the book. For those of you familiar with her work, this book feels like a more mature read than Kinsella’s previous books. The characters are well developed and somewhat quirky. I felt an emotional connection to Effie right from the very beginning of the book and hoped she’d find all that she was looking for.

There are many humorous moments in this book which I’ve come to expect from the author. Effie’s stealth-like ability to move throughout the home did not come without its own challenges. Indeed, at moments she witnessed conversations that only the proverbial fly on the wall would normally have access to. Her accomplices in this mission were very supportive, especially as time went on.

Throughout the book, Effie explores the memories of her family in this house before the divorce. I found this to be very touching, and reminiscent of time spent in my own childhood home. During this party, Effie is also reunited with a former long-term boyfriend who ghosted her after being together for years. Their love story is moving and one that added the perfect element to this already amazing book.