# The Party Crasher

By Sophie Kinsella

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/the-party-crasher-80a0b06c/

Effie wants one thing from her family’s farewell party: the Russian dolls she left in the house. Getting them means sneaking past her estranged father and his girlfriend, with an ex-boyfriend among the guests. Once inside Greenoaks, she hears conversations her relatives never meant her to hear.

## What makes it funny?

Effie’s devotion to family traditions can survive direct physical evidence that they won’t work. In the opening, she tries to secure a heavy angel to a small Christmas tree. When it tips upside down and exposes its underwear, her sister suggests adding a festive message to the pants.

### The comedy at work

Effie keeps trying to preserve the family she remembers, even when an ornament or a room full of relatives makes that difficult. Her attempts to avoid the party give her a particularly awkward vantage point on it: hidden close enough to overhear what people say.

### Try this if…

Family arguments, embarrassing mishaps and a renewed romance share the space here. The affectionate tone suits a reader who wants the relatives to find their way back to each other, even while they’re making a mess.

### Good to know

Divorce and estrangement shape the family conflict. Clinical anxiety also has a place in the story.

## What to expect

- Genre: Contemporary & literary · Romance
- On the shelf: Family comedy · Romantic comedy
- Kind of humor: Situational comedy
- The atmosphere: Warmhearted
- Format: Novel
- Published: 2021

## A few distinguishing details

- Retrieving childhood dolls during a family farewell party
- Family secrets overheard from hiding

## Sources & further reading

- Review: [Publishers Weekly review](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593449172)
- Author commentary: [Author introduction and sample](https://www.sophiekinsella.co.uk/book/the-party-crasher)
- Publisher: [Publisher ebook edition](https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/437486/the-party-crasher-by-kinsella-sophie/9781473555440)
- Publisher: [Publisher and excerpt](https://www.penguinrandomhouseretail.com/book?isbn=9780593449189)