The Book Goddess

 Party Planning

September by Rosamunde Pilcher – Starts in May, planning a party in September (party season in Scotland)

Silver Wedding by Maeve Binchy – 25^th anniversary party being planned by eldest child – Irish setting, interesting family dynamics

Surprise Party

Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler – Caterer, failed picnic brings on an identity crisis

Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg – family reunion, State Fair

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks – Whose wedding is it, anyway?

Riley in the Morning by Sandra Brown – Estranged husband shows up at important dinner party

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett – Terrorists take hostages at a lavish birthday party in unnamed Latin American country

One Last Dance by Eileen Goudge – instead of their parent’s 40^th anniversary, three sisters come home to their father’s funeral and their mother’s trial for his murder

It’s a Mystery!

Curtain by Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot’s last case – classic house party mystery

Hard Road by Barbara D’Amato – Murder takes place at Oz festival (Wizard of Oz, not Ozzie Osbourne)

Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews – thrice a bridesmaid – Meg Langslow is in charge of three relatives’ weddings, then she has to solve a murder

Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson – caterers get around, sometimes people get murdered.  Recipes look great!

Flaming Luau of Death by Jerrilyn Farmer – Bachelorette weekend – mysterious pre-existing husband, lurking killer, and belching volcano may cause issues

Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews – historical reenactment, colonial crafts fair, and concern for artistic cred

Saint Peter’s Fair by Ellis Peters  - a real medieval fair; Brother Cadfael must solve the mystery

The Relic by Douglas Preston – something monstrous is stalking the opening reception of the new exhibit of the Museum of Natural History

Highland Laddie Gone by Sharyn McCrumb – Murder stalks the Highland games

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman – A young Zuni is murdered just before he performs in an important religious ceremony

Parties You May Not Have Though of…

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand – Anniversary party serves as a occasion for philosophical debate

Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien – Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday party (at which we learn a lot about Hobbits)

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll – The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Should You Wish to Throw One of Your Own:

InStyle Parties by Jennifer Tung – it’s good to have inspiration

Most of the selections on this list were found on the Morton Grove [Illinois] Public Library’s marvelous Fiction_L website (http://www.webrary.org/rs/flbklistmenu.html) under Party Fiction – Compiled by the subscribers of the Fiction_L mailing list.