Sign up to start listening to The Party in the Woods AudioBook by Fiona McPhillips for free. By signing up you can get any audiobook free, plus 2 bonus books from our VIP selection! Cancel anytime.
AudioBook information:
Author: Fiona McPhillips
Narrated by: Conor Dunne, Emer Heatley
Release date: November 10, 2026
Audiobook Duration: 10 h 23 min
Summary: “A gripping mystery. . . A riveting story of privilege, friendship, and the weight of guilt. Not to be missed!” —Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author
From the much-praised author Fiona McPhillips (“Excruciating suspense” — Stephen King; “Shocking” —NYTBR), a novel of murder and betrayal, pulse-pounding music, and all the lives we leave behind
Annie Fagan, one of Ireland’s first female electronic DJs and producers, spent her early twenties hosting and playing illegal raves across Ireland. Part of a legendary free party crew, she was surrounded by loud music, beautiful people, and the alluring chaos of the dance floor. But after one of their huge parties in the woods, Annie’s friend Seán disappeared without a trace, and Annie gave up that part of herself for good.
Years later, when Seán’s body is discovered in the Dublin mountains and new information about his disappearance comes to light, Annie reunites with her old group of friends—led by Fran Baker, the man she once believed she was destined to end up with—and feels inexplicably drawn back into the scene. Annie—and the police—starts to realize that, far from a tragic accident or random misadventure, Seán’s death must have been caused by someone who was at their party. Someone who had a motive.
One of her friends.
As Annie investigates, her new and old worlds clash, another old friend is silenced, and she realizes that some people may not want the mystery of Seán’s death to be solved. In fact, they might do anything to stop her from discovering what happened that night, when the party truly ended.
Reviews:
“Entertaining and suspenseful, The Party in the Woods is a gripping mystery that hooks you from the first page. The book alternates between past and present to weave together a riveting story of privilege, friendship, and the weight of guilt. Not to be missed!”
―Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie
“Powerful mystery. . . McPhillips mines tension from class divides and corrosive secrets. . . Emotional depth and sharp social insights make this a riveting tale of friendships turned sour.”
―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“A dangerously addictive thriller, so hard to look away from I almost missed my train.”
―Anna Bailey, bestselling author of Where the Truth Lies
“The Party in Woods is a beguiling whodunnit with a side order of music and rave culture. I was gripped.”
―Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
“Both a missing-person story and a murder mystery, the novel also touches on heavier themes. . . Prioritizing atmosphere over procedural detail, this murder mystery will resonate with anyone who is a very different person from who they were in their 20s and who may need to forgive themselves for past misdeeds.”
―Library Journal
“Twenty-some years after a transcendent Irish rave ends in murder, the truth will finally come out. . . A unique setting and passionate descriptions of music add interest to a fairly closed-door mystery.”
―Kirkus
“McPhillips’ latest thriller explores the consequences of youthful indiscretions and the secrets people keep to protect themselves. . . McPhillips excels at managing a multi-character story without making it feel crowded, and the mystery unfolds compellingly. A solid thriller about social class, regrets, and fateful mistakes.”
―Booklist
“I absolutely adored Fiona’s debut novel, so I knew this was going to be something special. The Party in the Woods is utterly addictive, with twists that made me gasp. This book is as sexy and atmospheric as the raves it portrays!”
―Hannah Brennan, author of Nothing Left Behind
“This book is SO good and gripping and clever and fully stressful in places. It’s incredibly atmospheric too – a great thriller! And what a cover! I loved Fiona’s first book and I might love this one even more.”
―Cressida McLaughlin, bestselling author of The Secret Holiday Kiss
“The Party in the Woods beautifully evokes a sense of lurking danger from the start until the harrowing end. Sharply written, with characters who leap off the page. Loved it.”
―Mary Watson, #1 Irish Times bestselling author of The Cleaner
“Hypnotic, haunting, pulsing with tension – The Party in the Woods is a sharply observed interrogation of relationships and consequences. Impossible to put down.”
―Andrea Mara, bestselling author of It Should Have Been You
Praise for When We Were Silent:
“Tense and unsettling.” ―New York Times Book Review
“Important, painful, and relevant.” ―New York Journal Review of Books
“Suspenseful and beautifully written.” ―The Guardian
“Excruciating suspense. Well-written.” ―Stephen King
“Searing. . . This is a triumph.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“The strongest first novel I have read in ages, right up there with Attica Locke’s Black Water Rising.” ―BookPage, starred review
“Gripping…intricate…An outstanding debut.” ―Irish Independent
“A chilling psychological character study. . . Strongly written, compelling, and dramatic.” ―Deadly Pleasures
“A thought-provoking novel of suspense steeped in dark academia.” ―Booklist
“A compelling and thought-provoking read.” ―Crimereads
“Angry, accomplished debut. . . Arresting.” ―The Times (UK), Best Thrillers of the Month
About the Author:
Fiona McPhillips is an Irish journalist, author and screenwriter, and an editor at The Forge literary magazine. Fiona’s debut novel, When We Were Silent, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards, runner-up for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger and named as one of the Irish Times’ crime books of the year. The Party in the Woods is her second novel.