The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf is a twisted “who dun it”. The novel opens with Madeline and Wes Drake with their Pistols andPearls Party themed party to reveal the sex of their soon to be born child. The party was both ostentatious and rowdy. People came (even people not invited) for the food, champagne and the unusual reveal. An old truck in the field was going to be blown up with either pink or blue. Interestingly it was not just the truck that blew up – a nearby barn did as well causing all sorts of mayhem with people being seriously hurt.
Madeline’s midwife was killed and Madeline was devastated. Madeline was hit by shrapnel. Other people were burned or broke bones. The true question was how come the barn blew up? In walks FTA Agent Jamie Saldano to help solve the mystery, only this was not his first visit to the area. Years ago as a teen, he lived here with his mom and sister. Unfortunately, he was brutalized and his sister was missing with no remains ever found nor the guilty person.
The novel read quickly. I enjoyed how many of the characters had reasons for wanting problems to happen. There were many people who could have caused the problem. There were people who had undermined the investigation. Jamie continued to ask questions and investigate with both the new and old cases melding into each other in some ways. What a shocking end…. The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf is a good read.
