What starts as a celebratory evening quickly spirals into a tense, gripping psychological puzzle in Nina Manning’s The Dinner Party.
The Synopsis of The Dinner Party
The perfect date…
To celebrate their wedding anniversary, Lily Leonard books a table at the exclusive restaurant of Hector Bolson-Woods renowned celebrity chef. It should be the perfect evening for Lily and husband, Stig, but not even a perfect menu can heal the cracks in their marriage.
So when Hector invites them to dine with him privately, Lily is thrilled. Surely this will please Stig? Hector is charming and attentive – everything Stig is not – and she finds herself more and more drawn to the enigmatic Hector.
A nightmare invitation…
After the dinner, Stig makes it clear the entire evening was a mistake, something he never wants to repeat again. Hurt and confused, Lily’s certain Stig is hiding something from her. Something linked to Hector…she just doesn’t know what.
And then another dinner invitation from Hector arrives. This time with a proposal neither Lily or Stig can refuse…
The Dinner Party by Nina Manning
More about The Dinner Party
When Lily booked a surprise meal, she expected Stig to be excited. They had followed Hector Bolson-Woods as he rose in fame as a celebrity chef, and getting a table at his restaurant was not easy; it took months of planning. However, Stig seems underwhelmed by the surprise, even when Lily manages to talk her way into a private dining experience with the chef himself.
On the other hand, Lily is immediately enchanted—not just by the food, the wine, or the ambience, but by Hector’s charismatic and slightly enigmatic presence. She can’t understand why Stig is so uncomfortable around Hector, but the reasons behind it begin to unravel as the couple receives more attention than they bargained for from their mysterious host.
Firstly, Hector invites them to dinner at his private home, and while Lily believes there will be many of them, it soon becomes clear that it is a small gathering. While strange, she begins to take it all in her stride, thinking that this is a one-off invite, while Stig only becomes more ill at ease. However, the invites keep coming along with a job offer for Lily, and that’s when she starts to uncover her husband’s unknown past.
Will she take Hector up on his offer, or will Stig be able to convince her that Hector is not to be trusted without revealing his own deceit?
My Thoughts on The Dinner Party
The Dinner Party makes great use of its settings—from the plush, atmospheric restaurant to the unsettling intimacy of Hector’s private residence. The glamour of the food world and those who can afford to live in luxury are draws, while the touch of menace always lurking in the background makes for an exciting read.
Manning skilfully builds tension through Lily’s first-person narration adding a layer of emotion, while the story that runs alongside Lily’s gives us a glimpse into Stig’s thoughts and his past. Using both perspectives helps to build a feeling of dread and apprehension that comes with any good crime novel.
This domestic thriller slowly peels back the elegant layers of its characters to expose the raw, unsettling truths hiding beneath. It is the perfect pairing for an evening relaxing with a fine glass of wine for company.
About Nina Manning
Nina Manning studied psychology, owned a restaurant, and was a private chef for many, including members of the royal family. She founded Sniffing The Pages, a book review podcast.
Her debut novel, The Daughter in Law, was followed by nine more books, including The Guilty Wife, The House Mate, The Bridesmaid, and Queen Bee. She has also written two ‘mum-lit’ books: The 3 a.m. Shattered Mums’ Club and The 6 p.m. Frazzled Mums’ Club.
Nina currently lives in the Highlands of Scotland with her family. When she is not writing, she can be found romping in the forest with her dog and three children. To find out more about upcoming releases or events, you can follow Nina on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or sign up for her newsletter.
Have you read The Dinner Party or any of the novel by Nina Manning? Would you recommend any?
I was gifted a copy of this novel as part of a ‘Rachel’s Random Resources‘ book blog tour, but as always, all views are my own.
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