In the thrilling, suspenseful new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz, all of Ellie de Florent-Stinson’s secrets come to light in one eventful evening full of twists, turns, and surprises.
Before she became a glamorous fashion designer, Ellie de Florent-Stinson was a trailer-park teen about to turn sixteen. But a night of birthday celebration doesn’t go exactly as planned and descends into a night she’ll never be able to forget.
Now, on the cusp of her fortieth birthday, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career; and a dazzling circle of friends.
Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. But hiding those skeletons has a cost, and it all comes to a head the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of Ellie’s life begins to crumble.
Beautifully paced and full of surprises, The Birthday Girl is an enthralling tale of a life lived in shadow and its unavoidable consequences.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up The Birthday Girl by Melissa de la Cruz. For the past year or so I've really been leaning more towards mysteries and thrillers. This one definitely fit the bill!
The Birthday Girl was told in a past versus present format which I am a sucker for! 24 years prior is the story of Leo and Mish and the present is told by Ellie. Both timelines revolve around important birthdays.
The timelines also differ in that the storyline featuring Leo shows us a girl who loves her people deeply and wants the best for them. The timeline with Ellie shows us a woman who is just plain mean. Maybe that isn't fair but it's my review and therefore my perspective. Ellie is a strong woman but she has a ton of demands and the way she demands is what makes her mean.
The two timelines tell us about two different birthdays and their outcomes. As the story progresses the intensity of the unknown end really starts to ramp up. I am genuinely trying to find a way to explain myself here but it was just an increasing sense of dread.
I won't give the ending away here but suffice it to say that things got very interesting towards the end of the book and I couldn't put it down! I'll definitely be picking up any mystery/thriller/suspense novels Melissa de la Cruz chooses to write!
